Bhopal, Sep 30: Ahead of assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, the state chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday promised to form a full-fledged ministry for cow protection. Chouhan made the announcement at a public gathering attended by Digambar Jain monk Vidhyasagarji Maharaj in Khajuraho.

"I have reason to believe that the Cow Protection Board in the state should be turned into a full-fledged ministry," Chouhan said. "The cow ministry will replace the existing Madhya Pradesh Gaupalan Evam Pashudhan Samvardhan Board because it has limitations. If an independent ministry is created there will be a better inflow of finances," the chief minister added. SC/ST Act Won't Be Misused, No Arrest Without Investigation in Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Chouhan further said more efforts should be made to protect cows, urging citizens to shelter cows in their homes as per their capacity. “People should start doing more for the protection of cows. If every house shelters two to four cows as per their capacity, there can be a big revolution,” he said. His announcement comes in the run-up to the state assembly elections.

In Madhya Pradesh, the ruling BJP is expected to get a tough electoral fight from a resurgent Congress amid likely anti-incumbency. Earlier in June, Swami Akhileshwaranand, who was elevated from the post of Chairman of the state’s cow protection board to the rank of a cabinet minister in the Madhya Pradesh government, had appealed to Chouhan for the formation of a cow ministry.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 30, 2018 09:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).