Congress MP Geniben Thakor demands 'Rashtriya Mata' status for cows across India

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], September 1 (ANI): The lone Congress MP from Gujarat, Geniben Thakor, has voiced a demand for granting cows the status of "Rashtriya Mata" across the country.
Speaking to ANI, the Congress MP stated that people across the country support this demand.
She further demanded that the Gujarat government grant the status of "Rajya Mata" to cows and informed that she had written a letter for this purpose.
"The people of the whole country have only one demand that 'Gau Mata' (cows) should be given the status of 'Rashtriya Mata'... When Eknath Shinde was the Chief Minister, he gave the status of 'Rajya Mata' to 'Gau Mata' in Maharashtra. I have written a letter appealing for this. I am with all the saints and sages demanding the Gujarat government to give the status of 'Rajya Mata' to 'Gau Mata' in front of the Kutch District Collector's office..." Geniben Thakor said.
In 2024, the Maharashtra government gave indigenous cow breeds the status of 'Rajyamata-Gomata' (state mother cow) in recognition of their cultural and agricultural significance. The state Cabinet led by then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had taken this decision month ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections.
Earlier in June, as part of the ongoing Gau Dhwaj initiative established by Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, his national media in-charge Shailendra Yogiraj Sarkar reiterated the demand that the Central Government should officially declare "Gau Mata" (the holy cow) as "Rashtra Mata" (Mother of the Nation).
Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Shailendra Yogiraj Sarkar said that there is a need to withdraw the slaughter permission in some Indian states.
"We worship Gau Mata, but in some states, governments have legally permitted her slaughter. This contradiction must end. Our primary demand is to ban cow slaughter across India and to enact a central law declaring Gau Mata as Rashtra Mata." he said.
The Gau Dhwaj Parikrama initiative was aimed at raising awareness and moral pressure on both state and central governments for cow protection. (ANI)