Cow protection teams, gau rakshaks or gau bhakts are all set to kick off a “Gau Rakshan yatra” in Haryana, demanding to stop cow smuggling and slaughter besides spreading awareness among people about the importance of cow.

The yatra, to be organised by Gau Raksha Dal, Haryana, will begin on August 16 from Nangal Choudhary in Mahendragarh district of the state. After passing through various districts, the yatra will culminate on September 2 in Mewat where a state-level sammelan would be held on the issue of cow protection.

Even as a national debate rages over the incidents of brutal attacks by gau rakshaks (cow protectors/vigilantes groups) against minorities on the issue of cow protection, the gau rakshaks in Haryana are infuriated with the present BJP regime in the country and the state for its allegedly failure to protect cows.

Besides demanding a stop on cow smuggling and slaughter, the Gau Raksha Dal, Haryana will also raise other demands including introduction of cow cess on liquor and entertainment services, incentive of Rs 25 per day per cow in gaushalas (cow shelters), free electricity for gaushalas, ensuring required facilities at gaushalas and making the state, stray-cattle free.

Thousands of gau rakshaks and gau bhakts on two-wheeler and four-wheeler are expected to participate in the yatra,

Not only this, the Gau Raksha Dal, Haryana, has also prepared a special tableau (rath) for the yatra which will showcase pictures and videos portraying issue of cow slaughter and smuggling, condition of stray cattle, poor upkeep of gaushalas.

With cow slaughter and smuggling remaining a sensitive issue across Haryana, the yatra will keep the state police on its toes.

“Gau Rakshan, Kisan Samvardhan Jan Andolan” yatra  will begin on August 16 with an aim to spread awareness about cow protection, highlight the current situation of gauvansh (cow) besides raising our demands,” said Acharya Yogendra Arya, president  of Gau Raksha Dal, Haryana while talking to The Pioneer.

Accusing the Haryana Government of neglecting the nandishalas and gaushalas in the state, he said that cows are dying every day due to scarcity of water and food. The government has failed to ensure upkeep of nandishalas and gaushalas, he said.

During the past few months, several cases of cow deaths have been reported due to scarcity of food and water in various nandishalas and gaushalas of Haryana.

Arya , who is also the vice-president of Bhartiya Gau Raksha Dal and a former member of Haryana Gau Sewa Ayog further alleged that the government has also failed to keep a check on cow smuggling and slaughtering in the state.

Notably, Haryana was among the first states in the country to enact the Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act in 2015, imposing a strict ban on cow slaughter apart from curtailing smuggling of cows outside the state. It provides for a rigorous imprisonment ranging from three years to ten years for cow slaughter and provides for a fine from Rs 30,000 to Rs one lakh.

Giving details of the proposed yatra, he said, “During our yatra, starting on August 16 from Nangal Choudhary, we will cover various districts of Haryana. A rath will be accompanied by hundreds of gau rakshaks and gau bhakts during the yatra in various parts of Haryana.”

We will also push for “vote for cow” agenda, under which people will be administrated an oath to vote for those candidates in elections, who promise cow welfare and also, sign a performa in this regard, he said.

The yatra will conclude at Mewat on September 2, where a sammelan on the issue of cow protection will be organized. Hundreds of gau rakshaks and bhakts will attend the event, he added.

Recently, the Gau Raksha Dal had held protest against the BJP led Haryana Government for announcing financial assistance of Rs 8 lakh for the family of the Rakbar, who fell a victim of mob violence in neighboring BJP led Rajasthan Government.

The 31-year-old Rakbar, a resident of Haryana’s Nuh district, was lynched by a mob who had accused him of cow smuggling in Rajasthan’s Alwar district on the night of July 20.

The incident happened just days after Supreme Court issued a series of directions to State Governments and district police functionaries to curb mob violence.