The Animal Welfare Board of India on Monday urged citizens to observe February 14 as “Cow Hug Day”, describing the cow as the backbone of Indian culture.
The board did not specifically mention Valentine’s Day, which is also celebrated on the same day.
The board is under the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
The Animal Welfare Board of India in its appeal on Monday claimed that hugging cows will “bring emotional richness” and will “increase our individual and collective happiness”.
The Union asked cow lovers to celebrate February 14 as Cow Hug day “keeping in mind the importance of mother cow and make life happy and full of positive energy”.
Cow protection is one of the ideas by Hindu right-wing organisations such as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Over a hundred of Muslims were killed in more than two hundred cases of cow-related violence reported across India between 2012 and 2022.
