Swami Avimukteshwaranand's Kavishti Yatra: A Crusade for Cow Protection

Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Wednesday launched an ambitious 81-day campaign to push for granting the cow the status of 'rashtra mata' (national mother) and implementing a nationwide ban on cow slaughter. The campaign, dubbed 'Kavishti Yatra,' begins May 3 from Gorakhpur and spans multiple villages across Uttar Pradesh.

The campaign aims to raise awareness about cow protection by engaging with local communities and presenting what Swami Saraswati describes as documented evidence of issues related to cow slaughter. Addressing supporters in Lucknow, he declared this effort a 'dharma yudh' (religious struggle) and urged participants to become founding members of the movement by registering their details.

Despite lower-than-expected attendance in Lucknow, Swami Saraswati emphasized the statewide importance of this initiative. The Uttar Pradesh government's recent increase in the cow welfare budget, he said, reflects the campaign's impact. The yatra concludes in Gorakhpur on July 23, followed by a large gathering in Lucknow on July 24.