Hindu groups protest cow slaughter incident in Tanda

Garhshankar, March 13

Hindu groups staged a dharna at Banga Chowk, Garhshankar, on Sunday, and blocked traffic for more than three hours.

They were protesting Saturday’s incident of cow slaughter at Tanda and demanded immediate arrest of the guilty and strict action against them.

Advocate Pankaj Kipal said there was a huge outcry in the Hindu community over the issue of slaughtered cows in Tanda. He said the Railway Police had registered a case in this regard, but no arrest has been made so far.

He strongly condemned the killing of cows and termed it an attack on Hinduism. He said the culprits of cow slaughter should be arrested immediately, adding that in case they were not nabbed, the struggle would be intensified.

Gautam Sharma, Shri Guru Ravidas Sena’s Chaudhary Rahul Adoana, Gurdeep Singh, Raj Kumar, Dilwar Singh, etc. shared their views. Narendra Aujla, DSP, Garhshankar, who visited the spot, urged protesters to put off the protest.

A memorandum from representatives of the protesting Hindu organisations was also submitted to the DSP.

Protest held against shortage of cattle fodder

Garhshankar: On the instructions of the national president of Gau Sewa Mission, Maharaj Krishna Nand, on Sunday under the leadership of Kimti Lal Bhagat, former chairman of Gau Sewa Commission, hundreds of people held a protest demonstration in front of factory in border area of Himachal Pradesh adjoining Mehindwani village of Garhshankar, regarding the shortage of fodder for the cattle. Bhagat, accusing the industry of using the straw used as cattle fodder, in furnaces as fuel, said that it should be stopped at once and alternative fuels should be used so that the the gaushalas and other people do not have to face the problem of shortage of fodder for the cattle. He said, “The prices of fodder and hay have increased five to ten times due to the purchase of grass and stubble (used for livestock), by the industries. Due to which the operators of gaushalas and the people keeping other cattle are having severe problems in getting fodder, straw for cows and other cattle. Even if they are available, people have to pay a heavy price”. He also raised the issue of pollution and hazardous fumes being spreading in the air by the industry. He alleged that by digging pits in the adjoining land, the acidic waste water of industry is being poured into the ground. He also expressed surprise over the issue of pollution clearance certificate by the Pollution Control Department. At this time Baba Sudh Singh Machhiwara, Sant Ram Das, former Sarpanch Gurchain Chaini, former Panchayat Samiti member Kulbhushan Kumar, All India Jat Mahasabha, Punjab General Secretary Ajaib Singh Boparai, former Sarpanch Davinder Singh Gondpur etc. were present. Mukesh Kaushal, Chairman, Industrial Association, Haroli block, said the operator of this industry bought stubble worth Rs 25 crore from the farmers. There is no law that industries cannot buy stubble. If the people have a problem then they should go to the government, he said. OC