'Cow an animal, no sense in worshipping it': Congress Rajasthan Minister faces BJP ire for remark

In an unprecedented incident, Rajasthan Congress minister Shanti Kumar Dhariwal raked up controversy, saying that it does not make sense in worshipping a cow, calling it a "highly useful animal". 

Slamming the Congress leader over his remarks, BJP leader Vasudev Devnani said that Shanti Kumar Dhariwal's statement calling cow an "animal" has hurt sentiments of the people. Also added that cow is revered as a mother to the people in this country, condemning Dhariwal's comments for hurting the sentiments of the people.

"Dhariwal's comment on cow and Hindutva is condemnable. Saying that cow is just an animal hurts people's sentiments. The cow is worshipped as a mother in this country," BJP MLA Vasudev Devnani said addressing the media in Jaipur on Tuesday.

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On Monday, while speaking in the Rajasthan Assembly, Rajasthan urban development and housing minister Shanti Kumar Dhariwal made controversial remarks saying that the cow is a "highly useful animal" but it does not make sense in worshipping it. He further added that superwomen should be worshipped and not the cows. 

"Cow is a highly useful animal but it does not make any sense in worshipping it. Superwomen, not animals are worshipped," Dhariwal had said while quoting excerpts from a book written by Hindu nationalist Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

The Congress leader also reportedly took an aim at "nationalist", saying that nationalism cannot be imagined without including Muslims who make around 22 crores of the country's total population.

Meanwhile, in other news, a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra issued a notice to the Centre and states on Monday over a petition seeking a ban on slaughter of indigenous milch cattle. The apex court has sought the Centre and states' to reply on the petition, which also called for measures for the protection of the cattle. With his plea, petitioner Mathala Chandrapati Rao urged the court to issue directions to all states to close unauthorised slaughterhouses forthwith.

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(With ANI inputs)