Meet India’s first cow minister Otaram Devasi who likes to address himself as “Gaupalan Mantri”
His community – Rabaris, a livestock-dependent tribe traditionally-addresses him as ‘Bhopajj’ or priest. He dresses up like a cow-herd himself: a long white cloth wrapped around his bare torso, red turban, dangling ear rings et al. With a lathi in tow, he walks into everywhere, even the chief minister’s office in Rajasthan.
Otaram Devasi, 48, happens to be the Rajasthan’s minister in charge of cow affairs. As for himself, India’s first-ever minister for the ‘divine’ bovine likes to address himself as “Gaupalan Mantri”.
BJP and Vasundhara Raje had promised a separate ministry for cows in its poll manifesto. And when the party came to power with Raje as CM in December 2013, she promptly announced a ministry for the protection of cows, which was later transformed to a “department” after the move struck a Constitutional hurdle since states can’t set up new ministries. In October, 2014, Devasi was made minister of Dairy and Devasthan – administration of temples that get government funds – with the extra charge of the “Gaupalan department”. His responsibility also includes overseeing Rajasthan’s Gau Seva Commission and Cow Conservation Directorate.
Three months into his tenure, Devasi says he is proud of what he has done with securing the future of cows in this desert state. And he believes he has set up a department for rest of India to emulate should any other state want to follow this ‘Rajasthan Model. Read More…