India, May 26 -- Members of various Muslim organisations on Monday staged a protest outside the district collector's office, demanding that the cow be declared a national animal.

The agitation was organised by the Muslim Mulnivasi Manch and other groups, which submitted a memorandum to district collector Jitendra Dudi.

Anjum Inamdar, president, Muslim Mulnivasi Manch, said that organisations across the country were raising the same demand. According to him, declaring the cow a national animal would make its protection the responsibility of government agencies and help prevent incidents of violence in the name of cow protection.

"Many Muslims are being targeted over cow-related issues and incidents of mob lynching have taken place in di...