Meerut, June 2 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday hit out at clerics and organisations which have demanded that the cow be declared the national animal, saying the cow is revered as "mother" in the Sanatan tradition and is "not merely an animal for us". "The cow is our mother. She is not merely an animal. Your mindset is animalistic if you call our Gau Mata an animal.... Gau Mata is our 'Rashtra Mata'. It does not require any formal declaration... just as we respect our own mother... and the Ganga," he said. The chief minister was addressing a public gathering at Alampur Gavadi village in Bijnor's Afzalgarh area, where he distributed land ownership documents to 1,645 families displaced from Pakistan and 50 ex-servicemen. The move follows a similar initiative in Lakhimpur Kheri earlier this year, where displaced families from Bangladesh were granted land rights. The chief minister referred to recent demands by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani and some other Muslim groups for granting the cow the status of national animal and said their remarks reek of hypocrisy as these very people "promote cow slaughter". Earlier, in a statement shared on social media on May 20, Arshad Madani had called for the cow to be declared India's "national animal," arguing that such a move could help end mob lynchings, communal tensions, and the political exploitation of religious sentiments linked to cow protection. "The majority of the people in the country not only consider the cow sacred but also accord it the status of a mother," Madani had said, adding, "It is difficult to understand what political compulsion is preventing the government from declaring it the 'national animal'." On Monday, the chief minister said, "Nowadays, many maulvis and maulanas are demanding that the cow be declared the national animal. We say that the cow is our mother and our bond with her extends across lifetimes." "Those making such demands were displaying double standards as, on the one hand, they are seeking recognition for the cow while on the other, they are supporting cow slaughter," he added. The chief minister also said, "There was no need for 'akranta' (invaders) to teach about the status of the cow." "We have our own values and traditions. We have always regarded the cow as a mother," he said, adding that the cow was already a "self-declared Rashtra Mata" and did not require formal recognition from anyone. Referring to social media posts during the recent Eid-ul-Azha festival, Adityanath alleged that some had shared images of cows while extending greetings. "I saw some people posting pictures of Gau Mata on social media while extending Bakrid greetings. They should understand what cow slaughter means in Uttar Pradesh. Anyone attempting such acts will face serious consequences," he further said. The chief minister also raised concerns about the treatment of Hindus in neighbouring countries. "Not a single Maulana spoke when Hindus were being killed in Bangladesh," he said. He referred to the recent murder case in Ghaziabad, in which a young man was allegedly stabbed by a friend on Eid. "Recently in Ghaziabad, a stabbing took place under the cover of friendship. This is completely unacceptable. If someone cannot guide their wayward child onto the right path, they are making a grave mistake," Adityanath said. Drawing references from Hindu religious texts, he cited Lord Krishna and Lord Ram, saying firmness is necessary to protect the innocent and punish wrongdoers. Highlighting the distribution of land ownership certificates, Adityanath said the initiative would benefit nearly 8,000 to 10,000 people belonging to 1,645 displaced families....