Under the garb of cow protection, a mafia has developed in Punjab, which is extorting money from the dairy farmers for allowing them to sell their cows in other States, the Progressive Farmers Association, the group of farmers running mega dairy farms in Punjab alleged.
Addressing a Press conference here on Monday, president of the association Daljit Singh Sadarapura said the so-called ‘Gau-Rakshaks’ had made it difficult for the dairy farmers to run their business and the Punjab Government had not been able to tackle the problem.
He further alleged under the pressure from RSS, Punjab Government had created such a situation in which sending and selling milch animals to other States had become almost impossible.
“The mafia does not allow the milch animals to be transported from the State, resulting in fall in demand of cow breeds, which were earlier in high demand from neighbouring States,” he said.
Sadarapura said the Cow Protection Board issued directions to procure a ‘No Objection Certificate’ before sending cows to other States and Deputy Commissioners of the Districts had been assigned the responsibility to issue the NOC but it took around 3 months to procure the NOC from administration.
He said the traders preferred to go to Haryana, as Haryana allowed daily permits for selling milch animals and Rs300 were charged for issuing a permit for selling milch animals.
He said due to non-availability of permits, cows sold from Punjab were stopped by the Gau-Rakshaks and incidents of violence had now prevented the traders lobby from visiting Punjab markets for milch cattle, despite availability of good and healthy breed.
He said that prices of Cow breeds, which were earlier sold between Rs1 to 1.5 lacs, were fetching a price below 60 thousand in Punjab due to the terror of Gau-Rakshaks.
The Association said in some districts the so-called Gau-Rakshaks had been extorting money from the dairy farmers to allow them to sell their cattle. “Money up to Rs2 lac were being demanded for allowing the transportation of cows to other States,” they claimed.
“Earlier around 3 lac cows were sold to other States from Punjab every year, but due to the terror of Gau-Rakshaks and the lackadaisical approach of Punjab Government, the business of around Rs2500 crore was about to die,” said Rajinder Singh Gill, vice-president of the association.
He said careless attitude of Punjab Government might prevent the rise of White Revolution in the State as the Progressive Dairy Farming had just grown from its budding stage of late, and atmosphere being created by the goons, on the name of Gau-Raksha, may kill the prospects of dairy farming in the State.
The leaders said they had given repeated representation to the Government on the issue, but in vain. Gill said they had given Punjab Government a time limit till August 10 to come up with a solution for the problems of the Progressive Dairy Farmers, otherwise they would be forced to take their fight to streets.