LUCKNOW: In a bid to raise funds to build and maintain temporary cowsheds, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Tuesday approved a plan to impose a 0.5% ‘Gau Kalyan cess’ (cow welfare cess).
As per a government spokesman, the ‘Gauvansh Ashray Asthals’ (temporary cow sheds) will be constructed through MNREGS funds and will be opened in all villages, panchayats, Nagar panchayats, municipalities, municipal corporations and other local bodies.
According to media reports, Uttar Pradesh approved the policy following farmers shifting to mechanized agriculture and abandoning ailing or old cattle amid lynchings by cow vigilantes. The policy will be likely to deal with the incidents related to stray cattle.
According to a data collecting site Factchecker.com, Uttar Pradesh witnessed 69% cow-related violence in 2018.
However, the news of cow welfare cess has drawn severe criticism from Twitter users. Here are some of the reactions:
** UP to impose 0.5% ‘gau raksha’ cess to protect stray cattle – 2019.
** 70 People died in UP due to cold wave – 2018.
Why is BJP's priority 'Gau Raksha' and not saving the lives of humans?
— Gourav angral (@gouravangral3) January 2, 2019
Many people had joked about a "Cow Cess" or a "Gau Mata Tax" ever since this Govt started getting obsessed with cows.
But now, It is actually happening in Uttar Pradesh! 🤪https://t.co/QIueU7Vf0p
— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) January 2, 2019
Election campaign started!
UP to impose 0.5% ‘gau raksha’ cess to protect stray cattle @inquestioner @rkhuria https://t.co/7i5mBVrlDG— Amit Sachdeva 🇮🇳 अमित सचदेवा। (@csrmanofindia) January 2, 2019
https://twitter.com/AJIndian3/status/1080318393394155522
https://twitter.com/pankajgeetey/status/1080314271127396353
https://twitter.com/pranav204/status/1080289272060669952