Shelter cattle you have 'protected': Nitish to BJP

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday ridiculed the BJP and saffron outfits for "going over board" in the name of cow protection and asked them to instead give shelter to cattle which are seen loitering on roads in Uttar Pradesh. "They should first display sensitivity towards cattle by creating special shelter houses for cows and buffaloes seen loitering on roads - a common feature in Uttar Pradesh where deserted cattle can be seen even on a four lane expressway," he told reporters here.

"UP has the highest number of cows dying after eating plastic items," he said lampooning the growing cow-vigilantism in the BJP-ruled state.

Kumar described the Centre's notification to prohibit cattle trade for slaughter and the controversy shrouding banning of illegal slaughter houses as "bakwas" (ridiculous). "The BJP and its associate saffron organisations' overdrive in the name of cow protection is an attempt to vitiate the environment with an intent to cast a veil on failed promises made during poll," the chief minister claimed. Talking about banning illegal slaughter houses, Kumar mocked the BJP saying "Bihar enacted a law against illegal slaughter houses way back in 1950 when BJP was no where in the picture".