Congress leaders and activists today staged a protest outside the office of the district collector in Gujarat's Palanpur demanding a probe into what they termed as a "scam" in supplying "sub-standard" fodder to cow enclosures by the state government agencies.
Congress MLAs Alpesh Thakor, Govabhai Rabari, along with their supporters, staged a sit-in protest outside the collectorate, after which the collector withdrew section 144 of CrPC imposed on Saturday last till May 10, "prohibiting congregation of cows on roads".
The manager of a cow enclosure at Deesa in the district, along with owners of panjrapols (cow enclosures), had last week released hundreds of cows from the facility demanding a cash compensation from the government while accusing it of providing "sub standard" fodder for cows.
Palanpur is the administrative headquarters of Banaskantha district, which was affected by a massive flood last monsoon.
The Congress MLAs demanded investigation into the "supply of sub-standard subsidised fodder by the government agencies to the cow enclosures".
"Collector Sandip Sagale withdrew section 144 from 5 pm today, after Congress MLAs submitted a memorandum demanding the same. As for their other demands, the request has been forwarded to the state government," said additional collector L B Bambhaniya.
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Thakor told reporters that the Congress will launch a state-wide agitation if the state government fails to order the investigation into the issue.
"We demand the government constitute a committee to investigate the sub-standard fodder being supplied by state agencies at a subsidised rate, which is not eaten by cows and is of no use to them," he said.
"The fodder supplied to them is of poor quality and there is a likelihood of fodder scam," he alleged.
Owners of cow enclosures also threatened a district-wide agitation.
"We will lock down all 97 'panjrapoles 'in the district and hand over the keys to the state government if our demands are not met within a week," said Jagdish Mali, a cow enclosure manager in Deesa.
State Revenue Minister Kaushik Patel said the government is committed to the service and safety of cows.
"We appeal to the panjrapole managers to continue their service as the government is committed to help them. Good quality fodder has been supplied which will be provided to them at Rs 2 per kg. Collector has also been instructed to provide water for cows," he said in a statement.