Jaipur: The Congress and the VHP on Friday blamed the BJP government in Rajasthan for the "poor" condition of cow shelters in the state and demanded a rescue campaign for sick cows at Hingonia Bovine Animal Rehabilitation Centre where several of the animals have died over the last few days.
Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi visited the centre and held the state government and its officers "responsible" for its "sorry state of affairs".
"The situation is very bad and thousands of cows are living in a miserable condition. The Chief Minister should visit the gaushala and announce a rescue campaign for the animals," he told reporters.
"The BJP does politics in the name of cows but when it comes to their state of affairs, the government shows no interest. It is a matter of shame," he added.
Dudi alleged that hundreds of cows have died over the last few days due to "mismanagement and lack of facilities" at the gaushala.
Congress Jaipur district chief Pratap Singh Khachariawas said the party will take out a 'Gauraksha Padyatra' march from the PCC office to Govind Devji temple tomorrow demanding "result-oriented efforts" from the state government to protect cows.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal too targeted the Raje government for its "inhuman behaviour" with the cows at the shelter.
"The gaushala, instead of a rehabilitation centre, appears to be a graveyard for the cows. There are heaps of dirt and mud all over the centre in which the animals get trapped and killed. Despite more than 500 cows dying, no action and effort from the administration is highly condemnable," said VHP's senior office-bearer Narpat Singh Shekhawat.
The state government though claimed that the arrangements were well in place at the centre and the mud was being cleared.
Animal Husbandry department secretary Kunji Lal Meena claimed that the cows which died recently were either sick or had attained their age.
