With the Central Government scrapping Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in a bid to weed out black money, Haryana gaushalas and Gau Raksha Dal are now seeking donations from the general public, albeit in scrapped currency.
With temples witnessing huge spurt in donations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes post demonetisation, the cash-strapped gaushalas (cow shelters) have also made an appeal to the people to donate the scrapped high denomination notes generously for cow welfare in Haryana.
The State Government has around 431 gaushalas including about 390 registered ones and the condition of many of the gaushalas is miserable due to cash crunch.
“We have asked the gaushalas to spread the word for accepting donations of banned currency of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. The donated money would be used for cow welfare,” said Acharya Yogendra Arya, a member of Haryana Gau Sewa Aayog and president of Gau Raksha Dal, Haryana while talking to The Pioneer.
Acharya Yogendra said, “Since people are donating the scrapped high-denomination currency in temples and hospitals, we have requested them to donate these notes to gaushalas and Gau Raksha Dal, also.”
“While gaushalas have been asked to urge the visitors and others to donate the banned notes generously for the welfare of stray cows, Gau Raksha Dal, Haryana is making this appeal through social media also,” said he, whose Gau Raksha Dal has more than 5,000 members across Haryana.
Acharya Yogendra added, even though no massive donations have been made so far, they are hopeful that people would come forward to donate generously for cow, which is considered very sacred in Indian culture.
There are more than 2 lakh cattle in the gaushalas of Haryana.
Notably, the Haryana Gau Seva Aayog, set up by the BJP led State Government had proposed to impose five percent ‘cow cess’ on movie tickets and donation of Rs 2100 be given for Gau Seva for the functions organized in banquet halls of the state.
To generate revenue for the protection of cows, the Aayog had also proposed diversion of donations from government-managed temples in the state. Besides, the cash-strapped Aayog had also suggested levying Rs 1 on each bag of wheat, paddy and other crops bought from the state’s mandis.
The cow slaughter and smuggling has always remained a sensitive issue across Haryana, as the animal is held in high respect and locals have formed several Gau Raksha Dals to keep a vigil on those involved in the crime.
last year, Haryana Government had enacted Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gau Samvardhan Act 2015 making cow slaughter punishable with rigorous imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh in the state.