'The stray cattle menace has resurfaced in Uttar Pradesh, triggered by the non-availability of food as hotels, restaurants are closed amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The problem is posing a serious threat, especially during the harvesting season, however, the Yogi Adityanath-led government in the state has shut its eyes to the cries of hungry cattle especially cows. Meanwhile, in Kerala and Maharashtra, the state governments are addressing similar concerns.
'On rare occasions, the Indian government—which prides itself on visions of universal digital literacy, online services, and biometrical identity schemes—still conducts certain official communications by radiogram. An operator sitting at a radio transmitter taps out a message, and then a receiver spits out the transmission in another part of the country, generating an instant legal document.
'Sale of cow urine has picked up in Gujarat as belief that it has immunity boosting property gains ground in the state amid the coronavirus outbreak. Vallabh Kathiria, chairman of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog, told ET that consumption of goumutra (cow urine) and goumutra ark, or condensed cow urine, in the state has risen significantly after the coronavirus outbreak to about 6,000 litres a day. Cow urine has long been promoted by cow entrepreneurs as a panacea for a myriad of ailments.
'A BJP activist has been arrested for organising a cow urine consumption event here, claiming that it will protect people from coronavirus or cure those already infected, leading to a civic volunteer falling ill after drinking it, police said on Wednesday... According to police officials, 40-year-old Narayan Chatterjee, a local party worker of Jorasakho area in North Kolkata, had on Monday organised a cow-worship programme at a cowshed and distributed cow urine. He vouched for its “miraculous” properties while offering gaumutra to others.
'A 34-year-old home guard, who had his first sip of cow urine in a north Kolkata neighbourhood on Monday, was admitted to hospital on Tuesday after he complained of vomiting and nausea. But Pintu Pramanik did not let that come in the way of his duty. He filed a complaint from his hospital bed against the BJP functionary who “induced” him to drink the gaumutra — as “prasad and preventive medicine” against Covid-19 — following which cops arrested Narayan Chatterjee on Tuesday...'
'The Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday arrested two persons for thrashing two youths and spreading a 'false' story of cow slaughter in Bulandhshar. The arrests followed the wide circulation of a video showing the two youths being hit with sticks by a group of at least six persons in Sikandrabad area on March 2. The two had claimed that while assaulting them, the assaulters accused them of cow slaughter and hurled communal abuses at them while referring to the Delhi violence...'
'To ensure the coronavirus doesn’t spread in Delhi, the Hindu Mahasabha has decided to organise a ‘gaumutra party’ on the lines of tea parties, according to its president, Chakrapani Maharaj.The sixth case of coronavirus was confirmed in India Tuesday, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he held an extensive review on the country’s preparedness. “Had an extensive review regarding preparedness on the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Different ministries and states are working together, from screening people arriving in India to providing prompt medical attention,” he said in a tweet.
'As the world fumbles for a cure to the deadly novel coronavirus which has claimed thousands of lives across the world, a BJP legislator in Assam on Monday left the state assembly astounded by saying that the remedy may be 'gaumutra' (cow urine) and 'gobar' (cow dung). Suman Haripriya claimed that cow urine and cow dung are helpful in curing deadly diseases like cancer. "We all know that cow dung is very helpful. Likewise, when cow urine is sprayed, it purifies an area... I believe something similar could be done with 'gaumutra' and 'gobar' to cure coronavirus (disease),"...'
'Union minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday stoked a fresh controversy alleging that children who study in missionary schools lack "sanskaar" and end up in practices like "beef-eating" when they go abroad. Addressing a religious function at his Lok Sabha constituency in Begusarai of Bihar, the firebrand BJP leader also advocated, as an antidote, teaching of "shlokas" of Bhagvad Gita and the verses Hanuman Chalisa at private schools.
'The Narendra Modi government is looking for scientists to carry out research on primary products of indigenous cows, including urine and dung, with an aim to develop personal-care products such as toothpaste, shampoos and mosquito repellents as well as look for cures to diseases like cancer and diabetes.
