Mangaluru: “Cow is not just an animal for us, it is like a Goddess. There is no alternative to its milk, protecting cow is the need of the hour,” opined Dharmastala Dharmadhikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade on Saturday, December 7.
He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating two-day awareness programme on cow “Gomandala” organised by Govanitha Trust in association with Mangaluru unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) at Nehru Maidan.
Heggade said, ” Among 40 lakh members of Shri Kshethra Dharmastala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP), around 30 lakh members are depending upon dairy farming. If other farming work provides them income only during a particular season, dairy farming yields round the year.”
Meanwhile, Heggade lauded the move of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for banning the import of milk from abroad. “If the government allowed import of milk from abroad, the dairy farmers in India would have been put to trouble. The move of the government has indirectly helped in protecting the cow,” he said and added that people should support the work of Govanitha Trust as it has been protecting cows from the last two decades.
VHP national vice president Hukumchand Sawala presiding over the programme said that the entry of foreign culture and goods have resulted in the destruction of indigenous products and culture. “We should not forget our culture, tradition and food habits, in order to entertain foreign goods. The programme like “Gomandala” would definitely remind our olden days and educate our people about the needs of protecting cows,” he said.
Different species of over 100 cows were displayed at the programme. Sri Krishna Vesha contest for children below 12 amidst calves, cultural programmes, yoga, bhajans among others are the part of the events.
VHP Karnataka unit working president Prof M B Puranik, Subrahmanya Mutt pontiff Vidyaprasanna Theertha Swamiji, Govanithaya Trust secretary Dr P Ananthakrishna Bhat among others were present.
