Hyderabad: In what is seen by many as a clear pro-saffron tilt, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has decided to formulate a comprehensive policy for cow protection in the state and construct Goshalas (cow shelters) with state-of-the-art facilities at four places.
He also appointed a three-member committee of officials to conduct an in-depth study on the establishment of Goshalas and also visit other states to study cow protection policies.
The Chief Minister on Tuesday held a review meeting on cow protection. He directed that the new policy should focus mainly on cow protection in view of the importance of cows in ‘our culture and the sentiments of the devotees.’
The CM voiced concern over the spate of death of cows donated in large numbers by devotees to cow shelters due to space constraints and other problems. To protect cows and overcome the difficult conditions, he directed the officials to construct cow shelters with state-of-the-art facilities in four places in the state. These cow shelters will be established in the temple of Vemulawada where devotees donate calves as part of a ritual, Yadagirigutta, Yenkepally near Hyderabad city and at Animal Husbandry university.
The CM suggested that special attention should be paid to the protection of calves and instructed the officials to establish cow shelter over 100 acres of land at Vemulawada. He made it clear that the state government is ready to spend liberally for cow protection.
The CM’s action is likely to raise eyebrows in some circles as the decision came close on the heels of three back-to-back incidents of violence by cow vigilantes within a day in Hyderabad a day after Eid al-Adha.
A strong warning issued by DGP ahead of Eid and activities of saffron groups in the name of cow protection were viewed with concern by the Muslim community. Many believe that DGP Jitender would not have issued the warning without approval from the political boss. They have already voiced concern over the incidents of communal violence in some parts of the state since Congress came to power in 2023.
Several Muslim leaders within the Congress are also unhappy with the CM for not inducting a single Muslim in his Cabinet despite the community’s total support to the party in the elections.
A recent statement of Reddy also triggered a debate in political circles. At an event to release an autobiography of Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and in the presence of several BJP leaders, Reddy remarked that his schooling was in the BJP while he graduated from the TDP college and is now employed with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The CM revealed that he made the remark before PM Narendra Modi at the Niti Aayog meeting recently.
In his younger days Revanth Reddy was associated with ABVP, aligning himself briefly with the Sangh-Hindutva ideology.
During 2023 Assembly elections, BRS leaders had cautioned people that Reddy is an RSS man wearing the mask of a Congress leader.
BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao had even predicted that Reddy would defect to BJP along with Congress MLAs.
