Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Saturday announced that he will extend support to independent candidates in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections who show commitment to protecting cows and opposing cow slaughter.
Speaking at a public event in Bihar on Saturday, the Shankaracharya said that despite several promises over the past seven decades, no political party has taken concrete steps to ban cow slaughter.
The spiritual leader declared that candidates would be fielded across all 243 constituencies in the state but he won’t reveal their names. He explained that announcing the names prematurely could risk the cancellation of their candidature, as reported by Hindustan Times.
A day earlier, the Shankaracharya had launched the “Gau Raksha Sankalp Yatra” in Bihar. He said the campaign is aimed to encourage voters to choose leaders who view cow slaughter as a sin.
Criticising political parties across various domains, he alleged that atrocities against cows are on the rise, but successive governments have failed to act. “We brought one party after another to power, but no move was made in this direction. Now, we will appeal directly to the voters,” he said, as quoted by HT.
Raised Questions Over Beef Export
The Shankaracharya also raised concerns about the export of beef from India, claiming that it has been increasing even under the current BJP-led NDA government. He questioned the sincerity of political parties on this issue, pointing out that companies engaged in cow slaughter donate to political outfits.
He further expressed disappointment with the central government, accusing it of inaction despite strong rhetoric on cow protection. “On one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says his party is for cow protection, and on the other, beef exports are rising. It’s very shocking and disturbing,” he said.
The announcement has added a new dimension to the political landscape in Bihar, with cow protection emerging as a major debate before upcoming elections.