There is a need for public awareness like Ram temple to stop cow slaughter: Mohan Bhagwat

Mathura: RSS chairman Mohan Bhagwat Tuesday said public awareness could help end cow slaughter in India, and wished for a Ram Temple-style enthusiasm for the cause.“Make the society dedicated to cows, and cow slaughter will stop immediately. We have to make the public aware; The rest will follow,” Bhagwat said.He acknowledged the constraints of keeping cows in cities and suggested people support ‘gaushalas’ instead.The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief was speaking on the 452nd birth anniversary of Maluk Das Ji Maharaj at Maluk Peeth in Vrindavan.“If public sentiment exists, the system has to accept it,” he said.Bhagwat referred to the historic judgment of the Supreme Court which paved the way for the construction of Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya.He said, “Ram temple did not come between 2014 and 2019. It came after 2019. Why? The Supreme Court, which said it had other very important matters, gave a unanimous verdict.”Bhagwat said the top court gave this decision due to the “sentiments” of the entire country. “Similarly, the same feeling should be shown for the cows also. You are also trying, we are also trying.” The decades-long struggle for the Ram temple in Ayodhya ended with the Supreme Court’s decision in 2019.A ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ ritual was conducted at the temple construction site in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2020, followed by a ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony in January 2024.According to a statement released by the organizers after the event, Bhagwat said he has no doubt that India will become a world leader.Bhagwat said, “India will provide a new direction to the world by taking inspiration from its saints and its spiritual values.”On unrest in West Asia, the RSS chief said the time has come for “India to emerge as a ‘Vishwa Guru’ and create a new, happy and beautiful world.” Bhagwat stressed the need for enlightenment for all and urged people to follow not only the words of the saints but also the feelings underlying them.He said that Maluk Peeth kept the tradition of Sant Maluk Das alive for 452 years. Everyone should learn the philosophy of life from this example.He said, “There cannot be (any) religion without truth and compassion. All must live in harmony. Compassion enters one’s life when the suffering of others feels like one’s own suffering.”Responding to Mahant Rajendra Das Maharaj’s demand for a complete ban on cow slaughter, Bhagwat said that make the society cow devotees, cow slaughter will automatically stop.He said, “Strengthen… This will be a bold step. Cow products will be made available to every single person. The Sangh will work in this direction.”