Jammu, Oct 20: The Shiv Sena (UBT) Jammu-Kashmir unit has called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to honour the sentiments of Hindus in the region by enacting a cow protection law and enforcing strict legal action, including the Public Safety Act (PSA), against smugglers.
During an event at the party’s state central office, the party’s J&K chief Manish Sahni praised the Omar government for passing the proposal to restore state status in its first cabinet meeting, with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor. He urged the government to respect the religious feelings of Hindus by introducing a cow protection law in Jammu-Kashmir and implementing stringent measures to halt cow smuggling incidents.
Sahni mentioned a recent clash between cow smugglers and local residents in Bishnah, There is a troubling rise in cow smuggling which threatens communal harmony, he said, adding that a cow has a sacred status in Hinduism, called “mother”.
The Shiv Sena leader expressed full support for the campaign led by Jyotishpeethadhiswar Shankaracharya Swami Shri Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati to declare the cow as the “Mother of the Nation” and impose a total ban on cow slaughter. He urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to formally recognise the cow in this capacity.
Recalling the historical context, Sahni stated that cow slaughter was banned during the Dogra rule in Jammu and Kashmir, with severe penalties for violations. He lamented that this prohibition was lifted following the implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act of 2019, effectively removing it from criminal status.
