Declare cow as national animal, Centre urged

TIRUMALA: The executive committee of Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishad (HDPP), dharmic wing of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which met on Friday under the chairmanship of TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy, resolved to request the Central government to declare cow (Gomatha) as the national animal.

The TTD chairman said a resolution to this effect will also be made at the TTD Board meeting scheduled to be held on Saturday. He opined that once the cow is made a national animal, cow slaughter can be stopped effectively. The TTD Board meeting will also discuss the TTD’s annual budget. The HDPP executive committee also sought more muhurtams from the TTD pundits’ council for the re-launch of Kalyanamastu — the mass marriage programme for the poor. 

Subba Reddy directed officials to frame guidelines for implementing the Gudiko Gomatha programme on a national scale. The officials informed that 31 temples from Telangana had applied for Gomatha grants and after examination of facilities there, the pairs of cow and calf will be handed over to them. The meeting also decided to provide shelter for stray animals in towns and cities. 

TTD EO Dr KS Jawahar Reddy, TTD board members J Rameswar Rao, Shiv Kumar, DP Ananta and Govind Hari, Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy, HDPP members Penchalaiah and Subba Rao, HDPP secretary Acharya Rajagopalan and OSD Hemant were present.