Haryana, Uttarakhand to have licensed gau rakshaks, govt-accredited commission for protection of cows

Atrocities committed in the name of gau raksha remain the highlight of the cow protection movement in India, but the Haryana and Uttarakhand state governments expect all that to change with the setting up government-accredited commissions for the protection of cows. So far _gau rakshak_s had no illegal standing in India, but the two states are planning to issue identity cards to government-approved gau rakshaks in order to check on the number of violent incidents that have become a synonym to the cow protection movement in India. Both Uttarakhand and Haryana have cow shelters and the state government will make use of these shelters to come up with the legalised commissions. [caption id=“attachment_3828117” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] According to News 18, Haryana gau seva agency chairman Bhaniram Mangala had said that there have been applicants for the post of gau rakshaks from every district of the state and police verification of these applicants was going on. Once the verification is complete, these gau rakshaks will be issued identity cards. Around 275 people had applied for the post of _gau rakshak_s from nine districts, Mangla said. Of them, 80 people have been selected who will have to undergo background verification for the police to ensure that they have never been involved in criminal activities. Mangla believes that the accreditation of the cow protection agencies will help check violence in the name of cow protection. Apart from the government identified agents, no one else will be allowed to get involved in cow protection. In Uttarakhand, district collectors have been asked to take the help of Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) members to list potential gau rakshaks from 13 districts. SPCA director Narendra Rawat said that the identity cards of gau rakshaks will be linked to their Aadhaar cards making it easier to recognise them. However, unlike Haryana, the Uttarakhand government has not received any application since March when they had asked those interested to come forward. Rawat has again written to the district collectors to look for cow protectors on 5 August. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that 80-90 percent _gau rakshaks_ are fake and a formal commission will ensure that the real cow protectors can continue their work without any fear. However, senior Congress leader of Haryana Aftab Ahmed disagrees with Modi and said that giving _gau rakshak_s a legal recognition will only increase crimes in the name of gau raksha. Across the country, cows are dying in cow shelters but the government has not given any attention to that fact, Ahmed had said.