Bring law to declare cow a national animal: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Syed Arshad Madani on Wednesday said that the government should bring a "law to declare cow a national animal" to save the lives of innocent people being targeted by the "Gau Rakshaks" (cow vigilantes).

"Gau Rakshaks are taking advantage of faith and are torturing people, beating up people, looting people's belongings and money and even killing them in the name of religion," Madani told media persons.

"If people take law into their hands, how will there be peace and calm in the country? Peace and calm are the fundamentals for the development of the country. They (Gau Rakshaks) have created an environment of fear," he said, calling on the government to bring a law to declare cow a national animal.

"We are with the government, they should bring a law to declare cow a national animal. we support this. That's how people's lives will be saved.

"The manner in which you have made peacock the national bird, you should bring a law to declare a national animal. This is how innocent people's lives will be saved. This is how an environment of fear will end," he added.

He further slammed the Gau Rakshaks for taking the law into their hands and attacking innocent people, even those who are doing dairy farming.

"Giving freedom to the Gau Rakshaks to take law into their hands sets a bad precedent. If the government remains silent on this, then it gives out a wrong message," Madani added.