Declare cow as Gujarat's 'Rajya Mata': Congress leader in assembly
Gandhinagar, Mar 28 (PTI): The Congress on Friday asked the BJP government in Gujarat to bring a bill to recognise the cow as "Rajya Mata" or state mother to ensure that the "holy" animal is protected.
Congress Legislative Party leader Amit Chavda made the demand during a discussion in the state assembly on a bill introduced by the government for the regulation of bovine breeding.
Before Chavda, BJP MLA D K Swami said the cow is considered a mother in Hindu culture.
He went on to say that Speaker Shankar Chaudhary and deputy Speaker Jethabhai Bharwad do not need reading glasses because they drink cow milk regularly.
"Our Speaker and deputy Speaker do not have glasses because they consume cow milk. We believe in cows, not buffalos. Though we also need buffalos, that is a separate issue. The holy cow is our mother. It is a symbol of Earth," said Swami, supporting the Gujarat Bovine Breeding (Regulation) Bill.
Agriculture minister Raghavji Patel, who introduced the bill, recovered from health problems recently due to the "blessings of cow", said the BJP MLA.
Congress's Amit Chavda claimed that cows were suffering in Gujarat because large tracts of `gauchar' or grazing land were given away to industrialist.
"In Hindu culture, the cow is considered a mother. That is why we pray to the cow on auspicious occasions. But cows are now suffering because the government gave away nearly 103 crore square meters of land used as gauchar (grazing land) to industrial houses through sale or lease," the opposition leader alleged.
As per the figures shared by the state government in the assembly, nearly 2,800 villages do not have designated grazing land, Chavda said.
"We all should be worried about the situation of cows in these villages. After the loss of gauchar land, our cows have no other option than to eat plastic and other waste on the city roads," he added.
Though the state government has framed laws against cow slaughter, it is also earning revenue from the export of meat otherwise, the Congress leader further said.
The government should also give more grants to cow shelters, he added.
"I urge the state government to bring a bill to declare cow our 'Rajya Mata' (state mother). We have already submitted a private member's Bill to the Speaker regarding the same. But I demand that the government bring a bill....That will ensure that cows get proper food, shelter and treatment," he said.
The bill was passed unanimously.
On the last day of the Budget session, two other Bills -- The Gujarat Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill and The Gujarat Fisheries (Amendment) Bill -- were also passed unanimously.
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Muslim Personal Law Board urges MPs to oppose Waqf Amendment Bill
New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has strongly opposed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 and has appealed to all secular political parties, including allies of the ruling BJP, to reject it in Parliament. The bill is set to be presented on April 2, Wednesday and the Board has urged Members of Parliament (MPs) not to support it “under any circumstances.”
The President of AIMPLB, Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, called the proposed amendment unfair and unconstitutional, stating that it violates Articles 14, 25, and 26 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantee equality and religious freedom.
According to him, the bill is part of a larger plan to weaken Waqf laws and make it easier for government authorities to seize Waqf properties.
He pointed out that, despite the existence of the Places of Worship Act, there is a growing trend of questioning the religious identity of mosques. If the amendment is passed, he warned, government officials such as Collectors and District Magistrates will have greater power to take control of Waqf properties. This, he said, could lead to an increase in illegal claims on these lands.
The Board President highlighted several key changes in the bill that he believes would harm the Waqf system. These include the removal of Waqf by-user, the lifting of exemptions from the Law of Limitation, and the inclusion of non-Muslims in Waqf Boards and the Central Waqf Council.
Additionally, he criticized the proposed reduction in the powers of the Waqf Tribunal and the shift of dispute resolution to government officials rather than the Tribunal. He argued that these changes would strip Waqf properties of their legal protection and open the door for government control.
He also pointed out that similar legal protections exist for religious endowments of other communities, and targeting only Muslim Waqf properties would be discriminatory.
Maulana Rahmani expressed concern that such actions threaten India’s tradition of communal harmony and mutual respect between Hindus and Muslims. He stated, “our country is globally recognized for Hindu-Muslim brotherhood and for mutual respect for each other's religions, customs and festivals. However, unfortunately, the power of the nation is currently in the hands of those who seek to destroy this atmosphere of communal harmony and create anarchy and chaos.”
In his appeal, he urged MPs to stand with the Muslim community and oppose the bill, stating that millions of Muslims across India are counting on them to protect their rights.
