VHP wants separate ministry for cows at Centre, states

Raising the decibel levels on pet Hindutva themes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the VHP on Monday asked the central and state governments to set up separate ministries for protection of 'Bharatiya cows'.

The VHP also asked the government to tackle the issues around the migration of Rohingya Muslims and building Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The decisions were taken at a two-day meeting of the Central Governing Council of the VHP.

The outfit also decided to focus on expanding its footprint among Dalits and tribals through setting a target of up another 38,000 'Ekal Vidyalay' (One-Teacher Schools) in two years to reach the 1 lakh mark in two years. At present, the VHP runs 62,000 one-teacher schools.

In a resolution passed at the meeting, the VHP urged the central and state governments to form a separate 'Ministry for Bharatiya Cow Progeny Protection, Preservation and Promotion' to ensure sustainable organic agriculture and environment.

It argued that the separate ministry would propagate "the Swarajya (self-government) world-view and paradigm of Mahatma Gandhi".

"In those states were cow slaughter and cow smuggling are banned and unlawful, VHP volunteers are already protecting the cow progeny through lawful means and we expect other citizens to come forward to ensure comprehensive implementation of the law," VHP working president Alok Kumar said.

The meeting discussed the issue of building a Ram temple, "infiltration" of Rohingyas, attacks on Hindus in neighbouring countries and "conspiracies of pseudo-secularist and anti-India" activists.