Eating cow meat "crime": Baba Ramdev

New Delhi, Sep 17: Consuming cow meat in the name of scriptures such as Quran and Bible is an act of crime and amounts to "violence", yoga teacher Ramdev today said, demanding it be declared as the "national animal".

Ramdev's remarks come at a time when a controversy has erupted over a Jammu and Kashmir High Court order for enforcement of beef ban in the state.

The yoga guru said his demand should be considered from a scientific and not any religious point of view as "thousands of varieties" of cow breeds have been "destroyed" in the name of "genetic alteration".

"Few people who consume cow meat in the name of Quran and Bible are also committing violence. It's a crime. Don't use scriptures to justify your action as no holy book advocates violence. If killing humans amounts to violence, killing cow amounts to violence as well," he said.

Ramdev said cows hold a special place in India due to a host of factors that were societal, economic, religious and spiritual in nature. "If the government announces cow as the national animal it would be respecting all those ethos."

"Agricultural produce using cow dung and cow urine as insecticide and pesticide can prevent cancer. Their consumption also prevents toxins in breast milk and human blood which result in a number of ailments," he said.

He was speaking at a press conference on treatment of dengue through Ayurveda where products from his firm Patanjali Ayurved were laid out in front of him. Ramdev claimed having 'giloy' and 'aloe vera' juice increases the platelet count in a dengue patient faster than allopathic medicines.

"Having juice made of giloy, aloe vera, papaya leaves and pomegranate not only increases platelet count but also increases overall immunity of the body...having goat or cow milk slightly help as well, but in case of their non- availability, one need not worry," he said.

On suggestions that he was trying to market his products at a time when people are in a state of panic over cases of dengue, he said, "Did I for once take the name of any product? I was merely endorsing natural remedies."

On the lack of any third party endorsement for his products, Ramdev said it was not needed as he had "first hand evidence".

"I could have brought Union Health Ministers JP Nadda and Shripad Naik to my presser. But that would have led to allegation that I have setting with the government.

I don't want Narendra Modiji's government to get mired in any controversy," he said.

PTI