– Sahar Khan
Raipur, March 10: Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Joshimath Shankaracharya Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati has exhorted the people to symbolically observe a ten-minute Bharat bandh on March 10 in support of the effort to ban cow slaughter in the country.
Shankaracharya said that he has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare cows as ‘Rashtra-mata’ before the upcoming elections and asked the political parties to take a pledge to ban cow slaughter.
“We have sought the support from all the political parties in this regard. After the election code of conduct is imposed, we will disclose before the people of the country the name of the political parties who are in support or against cow slaughter – the parties that support us will be regarded as our brother (bhai) and others as butcher (kasai). Accordingly, our support will remain for the party during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls,” Shankaracharya Avimukteshwarananda said and further added that the political parties should solemnly swear against cow slaughter.
He stated that the people who vote for the political party not supporting the ban will be seen as equal collaborators in cow slaughter.
The Shankaracharya and several other Hindu religious gurus and devotees are in Chhattisgarh to attend religious congregation at Rajim festival, which has tuned as annual Hindu pilgrimage Rajim Kumbh where devotees take bath in sacred confluence of the Mahanadi, Pairi and Sondur in Gariyaband district.
“The country has entered Amrit Kaal, still the cow slaughter continues. After the consecration of Lord Ram, it was said the nation will witness Ram Rajya. So, there should be some perceptible change visible. At least after the arrival of Lord Ram, the cow slaughter should stop”, he averred.
Shankaracharya said there will be a campaign from March 13 during which he expects to secure ‘sankalp patra’ (undertaking the words of pledge) from political parties regarding imposing a ban on cow slaughter. “If the political parties don’t offer any firm word of honour or undertaking, a foot-march from Vrindavan Dham to Delhi on March 14 will commence in support of the demand,” he stated.
