Bhopal: Diverse opinion on celebrating Valentine’s Day as ‘Cow Hug Day’

Bhopal: Diverse opinion on celebrating Valentine’s Day as ‘Cow Hug Day’

Some welcome the initiative; others term it absurd, nonsensical

Staff ReporterUpdated: Thursday, February 09, 2023, 09:54 PM IST
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Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Cow lovers in the city have welcomed the initiative to celebrate February 14 as ‘Cow Hug Day’. They say Valentine’s Day (celebrated on February 14) represents Western Culture and Indians shouldn’t have anything to do with it. Some of them, however, said such initiatives are absurd, nonsensical and meaningless.

The Animal Welfare Board of India, a body under the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, has urged the public to celebrate February 14 as ‘Cow Hug Day’ saying that the cow was the backbone of Indian culture. The board said the decision was taken on instructions of the ministry adding that “Vedic traditions were on the verge of extinction due to the dazzle of Western civilization.”

Chairman of Madhya Pradesh Gau Samvardhan Board, Swami Akhileshwaranand Giri welcomes the move. He says that Valentine’s Day represents foreign culture. “Our culture is the best in the world. ‘Gaay ko gale lagao diwas’ should definitely be celebrated. On behalf of the Board, I would like to appeal to the people of the state to hug cows, feed them, visit Gaushalas and do Gau Sewa on February 14,” Giri adds.

Such initiatives were unnecessary and meaningless, earlier, attempts were made to celebrate V-Day as Matru-Pitra Pujan Diwas and now another absurd idea has come to the fore, says social activist, Kumud Singh. As far as Western culture is considered, shirts, pants and shoes have also come to India from the West, she opines.

State President of Rashtriya Gau Sewa Sangh, Pawan Dubey asks why Indians should celebrate Valentine’s Day when it did not belong to India. “We spread love and happiness all 365 days of the year. Gau Sewa was a part of Indian culture and values and all Indians should worship the cow,” says Dubey adding that he would celebrate the Cow Hug Day on February 14.

Social activist Ayan Khan says that if celebrating Cow Hug Day ensures that cows are treated with respect and love then there is nothing wrong in it. “I support the idea,” says he adding that anything that leads to the welfare of cows and other animals is welcome.

Filmmaker, Sunil Shukla finds the idea nonsensical. “If you don’t want to celebrate Valentine’s Day, don’t celebrate it. But there is no need to replace it with such absurd celebrations,” he laments.

Animal rights’ activist Veena Shrivastava says that Cow Hug Day is a very good initiative. “Gau Mata belongs to us not V-day,” she says. During a recent raid on a Gaushala in the city, they had seen how cruelly cows were being treated there, she says adding that celebrations like Cow Hug Day will improve things for cows.

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