Declare cow as ‘mother of the nation’ and remove her from animal list, says Shankaracharya Ji’s media in-charge

The campaign to give the cow the title of “Mother of the Nation” is gaining strength across India. Under the guidance of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Ji Maharaj, his followers are travelling from state to state, spreading the message and asking the central government to officially recognize the sacred status of the cow.

As part of the ongoing Bharat Gau Dhwaj Parikrama and Gau Dhwaj Inspection Yatra, Shailendra Yogiraj Sarkar, the National Media In-Charge for Shankaracharya Ji, called upon the Government of India to remove the cow from the list of animals and give her the status of "Mother of the Nation."

Speaking during one of the events, he said that this demand is not just symbolic, but a necessary step to ensure the safety, respect, and proper treatment of cows across the country. “The cow is not just an animal,” he said, “she is a symbol of Indian culture and spirituality. She should be treated as a mother.”

Last year, Shankaracharya Ji carried out the Gau Dhwaj Pratishtha Yatra, travelling to every state capital of India. In each capital, a sacred flag known as the Gau Dhwaj (Cow Flag) was established. The yatra had one clear goal—to convince governments to recognize the cow’s importance and declare her the “Mother of the Nation.”

This campaign showed results in Maharashtra, where the Eknath Shinde-led government officially declared the cow as the “State Mother.” It even passed a law to support this declaration. Inspired by this success, the campaign is now pushing for similar recognition at the national level.

The current phase of the campaign includes ritual circumambulation (parikrama) of the Gau Dhwaj and worship ceremonies (aarti) dedicated to Gau Mata. These events are taking place in many parts of the country and are attracting large crowds of devotees.

On one such occasion, Shailendra Yogiraj Sarkar performed the parikrama and aarti, along with several followers including Jeevan Sharma, Prakash Timsina, Sudhir, Vijay, and Mamta. The events are peaceful and spiritual, filled with prayers, chants, and cultural activities.

One unique feature of the campaign is the ongoing “Gau Voter” drive. Supporters are visiting cities, towns, and villages to register people as “Gau Voters.” The idea behind this is to form a large support base of citizens who back the demand to declare the cow as “Mother of the Nation.”

According to campaigners, this growing group of Gau Voters will eventually influence political discussions and encourage lawmakers to bring this issue into Parliament. “If the people are with us, the government will have to listen,” said a campaign volunteer.

The main demand of the campaign is clear and strong: the Central Government must pass a law to give the cow the status of “Mother of the Nation.” For that to happen, campaigners say the cow must first be removed from the list of animals in government records. Only then, they say, can she be given the respect she truly deserves in Indian society.

Shankaracharya Ji believes that such a step will help stop cruelty towards cows, improve their living conditions, and strengthen the spiritual values of the country.

The Gau Dhwaj Parikrama and Gau Voter enrollment will continue in the coming weeks. Events will be held in different states, and more people will be encouraged to join the movement. The campaign leaders are confident that with continued public support, their demand will soon reach the highest levels of the Indian government.