INDIA SUMMARIZED

Already in the eye of a raging controversy over the ‘Ghar Wapsi’ programme, fiery Hindutva mascot and BJP MP Yogi Adityanath has now launched a campaign for declaring cow as ‘Rashtra Mata’, claiming his demand “embodies the sentiment of every Indian.” The Hindu Yuva Vahini, an organisation led by the controversial yogi, has launched a missed call subscription initiative in Aligarh to solicit support for the cause of  sanrakshan  (protection) and samvardhan  (expansion) of the bovine clan. “This (the initiative for seeking ‘Rashtra Mata’ status for the cow) is extremely important. Our initiative embodies the sentiment of every Indian,” the 42-year-old BJP MP from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh told PTI. “In India’s Sanatan tradition, cow occupies a venerable place. The cow clan is like the spinal cord of Hindu religion because of the role it plays in sustaining the agrarian economy,” he said. The BJP lawmaker said since it was not possible to secure such a status for...