Bijnor (UP), Jun 1: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday hit out at Muslim clerics and organisations for demanding that the cow be declared the national animal, saying the cow is revered as “mother” in the Sanatan tradition and is “not an animal for us”.
“Your thinking is animal-like if you describe Gau Mata as an animal,” Adityanath said while addressing an event here.
“The cow is our mother. She is not merely an animal. Your mindset is animalistic if you call our Gau Mata an animal…. Gau Mata is our ‘Rashtra Mata’. It does not require any formal declaration… just as we respect our own mother… and the Ganga,” he said.
The chief minister referred to recent demands by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani and some other Muslim groups for granting the cow the status of national animal and said their remarks reek of hypocrisy as these very people “promote cow slaughter”.
“Nowadays, many maulvis and maulanas are demanding that the cow be declared the national animal. We say that the cow is our mother and our bond with her extends across lifetimes,” the chief minister said, asserting that the cow occupies a revered position in Sanatan tradition.
“Those making such demands were displaying double standards as, on the one hand, they are seeking recognition for the cow while on the other, they are supporting cow slaughter.”
The chief minister said that “there was no need for ‘akranta’ (invaders) to teach about the status of the cow”.
“We have our own values and traditions. We have always regarded the cow as a mother,” he said, adding that the cow was already a “self-declared Rashtra Mata” and did not require formal recognition from anyone.
Adityanath was addressing a function organised for the distribution of land ownership certificates to 1,645 displaced families from Pakistan and to ex-servicemen and land allottees.
The chief minister also criticised Muslim clerics for what he described as their silence on the plight of religious minorities in neighbouring countries.
He alleged that no prominent Muslim religious leader had spoken up for people displaced from Pakistan and Bangladesh due to religious persecution or raised concerns about the declining population of Hindus in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
The chief minister claimed that if religious leaders had offered land allegedly held under waqf properties for the rehabilitation of displaced families, it would have demonstrated genuine sensitivity towards their suffering.
Referring to social media posts during the recent Eid-ul-Azha festival, Adityanath alleged that supporters of some clerics had shared images of cows while extending greetings.
“I want to tell them that they should rein in such elements or their generations will remember the consequences if any harm is done to Gau Mata”.
He said the state government’s proactive measures had ensured that festivals and religious events were conducted peacefully.
The chief minister also referred to a recent murder case in Ghaziabad in which a youth was allegedly stabbed to death by his friend on Eid.
Without naming individuals, he said acts of violence would not be tolerated.
Invoking religious references, Adityanath said, “Non-violence and compassion are ornaments of humanity, but weapons must be taken up when confronted by evil.”
He cited the teachings of Lord Krishna and Lord Ram, saying firmness was necessary against those who threatened social order, public safety and national interests.
He said citizens should be prepared to deal strictly with people who act against the nation, while emphasising that the government remained committed to the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” and was ensuring that welfare schemes reached all sections of society without discrimination.
Highlighting the distribution of land ownership certificates, Adityanath said the initiative would benefit nearly 8,000 to 10,000 people belonging to 1,645 displaced families and would serve as a message of the government’s commitment to their welfare.
The chief minister accused the Congress and the Samajwadi Party of neglecting these families for generations despite being in power for long periods.
He alleged that both parties remained silent about their hardships and opposed measures aimed at rehabilitating them.
Adityanath also attacked the opposition parties over their criticism of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), enacted by the BJP-led central government to provide citizenship to persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
He alleged that the Congress opposed citizenship for displaced families while supporting “Bangladeshi infiltrators”.
He claimed that opponents of the CAA had spread misinformation despite the law not containing any provision to seize the property of Muslims.
“At that time, many Muslims also opposed the law. Now the same people are demanding that the cow be declared the national animal,” Adityanath said.
