India urges citizens to ‘hug a cow’ on Valentine’s Day

Cow Protection - Photo - HRW

Jehangir Hussain

The Indian government has urged people to set aside the “western” traditions of Valentine’s Day and instead celebrate the occasion by cuddling up with the country’s sacred cows, reports the Guardian.

In a new appeal,  February 14 has been declared Cow Hug Day, when people are encouraged to take the animals into an embrace. Cows are holy within Hinduism, the majority religion in India, and are considered sacred animals across the country.

According to the government statement, hugging a cow “will bring emotional richness” and “will increase our individual and collective happiness”.

The newly declared Cow Hug Day is intended to offset the “dazzle of western civilisation”, which the government said had come at the cost of the older traditions of India.

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