JABALPUR: Cow Hug Day will be observed on February 14 across the state of Madhya Pradesh, said Swami Akhileshwaranand Giri, executive chairman of the Gopalan and Pashudhan Samvardhan Board of Madhya Pradesh, even though the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) withdrew their plea.

A day after the AWBI dropped its call for people to observe "Cow Hug Day," Swami Akhileshwaranand Giri, the executive chairman of the Gopalan and Pashudhan Samvardhan Board, made the statement in Jabalpur on Saturday.

The Animal Welfare Board of India stated in a statement that the "request issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India for the celebration of Cow Hug Day on February 14, 2023 stands withdrawn as ordered by the Competent Authority and Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying."

The board had already made a call for people to observe Cow Hug Day on February 14th (February 14). Swami Akhileshwaranand Giri encouraged people to observe "Cow Hug Day" and backed the campaign.

The Swami said in a  statement, "We backed the idea since it was a good one. They have since dropped the appeal. The cause is unknown to us, but it is not a terrible thing. Therefore, we have decisded to observe Cow Hug Day. We backed this request because we needed to draw a boundary from the festival that originated outside. Although the board has already abandoned its petition, Cow Hug Day will still be observed. We think the board erred in withdrawing the appeal because it was a good idea," he said.

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