Kolkata: A BJP-backed outfit in West Bengal will conduct a census of cow population in the state in an attempt to raise awareness about how to protect them. From August 1, hundreds of volunteers of the Gau Raksha Committee, which has many BJP members, will fan out in the state for the exercise, the outfit said.
The survey will be done in two parts. A head count of cows will be done and it will be repeated after Bakr Eid in September to see how many cows went missing. “Every year during Bakr Eid, thousands of cows are slaughtered and are smuggled to Bangladesh. This has to stop. It is true that cow slaughter is not banned in the state but even if a cow is to be slaughtered, there are certain norms to follow,” Subrata Gupta, president of committee, told.
Asked to explain the ‘norms’, Gupta said, “A cows is eligible to be slaughtered and sold if she is 14 years of age, doesn’t have any disease and is not pregnant. A medical officer also needs to certify. But in most of the cases, a cow as young as four years old is sold and smuggled.” Gupta said that recently Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said she wanted to see cattle smuggling curbed.
(Sourced from agencies, Feature image courtesy:www.thecattlesite.com)
