8 Cows Dead, 450 Kicked Out of Shed for PM Modi’s Video Conference in MP

Bhopal/Rajgarh: In Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district, eight cows have been reported dead, allegedly due to starvation, while many more fell ill as the district administration kicked out 450 cows from the Naveen Gayatri Gaushala cow shed to organise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s live speech through video conferencing on ‘Swachhata hi Sewa’ campaign on September 15.

The incident took place at Pipliya Kulmi village of Serapura Panchayat’s ‘Naveen Gayatri Gaushala’ where more than 450 cows live. However, after the matter came to light, the district administration has been trying to put the matter under the carpet.

To telecast live glimpses of PM Modi’s speech while launching ‘Swachhata hi Sewa’ campaign on the big screen, the district administration had built a stage and installed a big television for the villagers at Naveen Gayatri Gaushala by kicking out around 450 cows out of the shed.

 
Even, those cows who were ill and were not in a condition to move had been kicked out of the shed with the help of a bullock cart. Interestingly, while 450 cows were kicked out of the shed, only 5-6 healthy cows belonging to the villagers were kept inside the shed for showing off.

What is even more interesting is that, after investing lakhs of rupees and a week-long preparation to hold a live video conferencing of the event by the district administration, it only lasted for 3 to 4 minutes due to poor speed of internet, causing huge embarrassment to the district administration. 

On September 15, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Swachhata hi Sewa’ campaign and unveiled the Gobardhan Yojana in Delhi which was telecast  through video conferencing in 17 districts of the country, selected for their remarkable work in developing bio electricity or bio fuel.

Rajgarh’s ‘Naveen Gayatri Gaushala’ was the only cow shed of Madhya Pradesh which was selected under this category and PM Modi appreciated their work on during his September 15 speech.  ‘Naveen Gayatri Gaushala’ is the biggest cow shed of Rajgarh district and produces high amount of cow-dung, which is being used to create bio gas. 

The cows were kicked out from the shed a week ago, owing to the preparation of the event and were kept under the open sky at ‘Krishi Mandi’. Due to hectic preparation and unavailability of proper infrastructure, the cow shed owner failed to feed the cows properly and offer water.

 
However, the live broadcast of the event failed to tempt the villagers and received lukewarm response from the audience.
“PM Modi was to unveil the Gobardhan Yojana and the cow shed was the best place for organising such an event,” said a senior government official requesting anonymity.

Confirming the kicking out of cows from the shed, a social worker and local resident of Pipliya Kulmi, Shyam Tejri said, “Since a week, the cows have been locked within the farmers’ mandi where they were neither given proper food nor water which led to the death of eight cows and many more fell ill.”
 
“The cow shed owner and the district administration were busy in the arrangements for conducting the event and forgot the cows,” he added.

When contacted, the District Magistrate of Rajgarh district, Karamveer Sharma refused to comment over the issue.
The death of cows have irked the locals. They have recorded a video of dead cows which was widely circulated on Facebook and WhatsApp, making it viral.  

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE DEATHS?

The death of eight cows due to a video conferencing event of the PM has given ammunition to the opposition Congress in the poll-bound state.

Demanding action against the guilty persons, members of the District Congress, Rajgarh, met with the concerned officials and demanded action. They have also demanded a judicial probe into the matter.

Madhya Pradesh Congress General Secretary, Priyavrat Singh said, “Video conference had been organised in the cow shed which led to the death of 6 cows. It has also exposed the BJP government that how much they think of cows.”

Later, state Congress chief Kamal Nath tweeted over the issue and said, "Cows were killed just to hold PM video conferencing, this is BJP's cow's love?" 

Only time will show what kind of repercussions these developments will hold for the ruling BJP-led government in the poll bound state which goes to polls in the coming months in 2018.