Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan announces 'Gau Cabinet' for protection of cows

The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to set up a 'Gau Cabinet' for the protection, conservation and promotion of cows in the state, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday.

The Cabinet will comprise the departments of animal husbandry, forests, panchayat and rural development, revenue, home and farmers welfare.

"It has been decided to constitute a 'gau cabinet' for the protection and fostering of godhan (cow and its progeny) in the state," Chouhan said in a tweet in Hindi.

प्रदेश में गोधन संरक्षण व संवर्धन के लिए 'गौकैबिनेट' गठित करने का निर्णय लिया गया है।

पशुपालन, वन, पंचायत व ग्रामीण विकास, राजस्व, गृह और किसान कल्याण विभाग गौ कैबिनेट में शामिल होंगे।

पहली बैठक 22 नवंबर को गोपाष्टमी पर दोपहर 12 बजे गौ अभ्यारण, आगर मालवा में आयोजित की जाएगी।

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) November 18, 2020

The first meeting of the Cabinet will be held at 12 pm on 'Gopashtami' on November 22 at the Cow Sanctuary in Agar-Malwa district.

Meanwhile, Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government is mulling to introduce the Dharma Swatantrya (Religious Freedom) Bill 2020 in the next session of the state Assembly to check the rising incidents of inter-religious marriages.

According to the proposed Act, there will be a provision of punishment for up to five years for those indulging in or abetting forceful religious conversions.

Madhya Pradesh's Home Minister Narottam Mishra had said that his government is working on bringing the 'Dharma Swatantrya Bill' 2020 in the state assembly with a provision for five-year rigorous imprisonment for luring a person through fraud and forcing marriage by religious conversion by making it a cognisable and non-bailable offence.

Chouhan had ordered that strict action be taken against anti-social elements, especially those found indulging in crimes against women and girls.