Instead of tiger, declare cow as our national animal, says Haryana minister

A tweet from Haryana Health and Sports Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday read: “Declare Cow as National Animal of India instead of Royal Bengal tiger.”

Declare Cow as National Animal of India instead of Royal Bengal tiger

— ANIL VIJ Minister (@anilvijmantri) October 7, 2015

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The minister’s tweet has come bang in the middle of a raging controversy over cow slaughter, beef ban in various states and the killing of a Muslim man in Dadri area of western Uttar Pradesh last week over allegations that he had eaten beef.

Vij is a senior minister in the first Bharatiya Janata Party government in Haryana, which came to power in October last year after assembly polls.

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In March this year, the BJP government announced a complete ban on sale of beef in any form in the state. The decision upset many people living in Gurgaon, adjoining the national capital, especially a large number of foreign nationals living in the industrial hub, as beef eating has become illegal in the state.

Vij is the most active of all Haryana ministers and quite popular with his action-oriented style of functioning and speaking out openly what is on his mind.

The minister is well-known for his no-holds barred comments on the Twitter and otherwise, including on his own government and colleagues.

In the last few months, he has even left his own government and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar embarrassed with his comments.