At Mulayam son’s invitation, CM Yogi visits cow shelter

ACCOMPANIED BY SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son Prateek and daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday visited Kanha Upvan Gaushala, a cow shelter on the outskirts of Lucknow.

SP leader Aparna, who had unsuccessfully contested the recent Assembly polls from Lucknow Cantonment, had invited the CM to visit the facility run by NGO Jeev Ashraya that the couple supports.

Adityanath visited the gaushala along with Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma, Urban Development Minister Suresh Khanna and Minister of State Swati Singh.

He asked Khanna to develop more such shelters in towns and cities of UP for both stray cows and those freed from smugglers.

The visit comes days after Aparna and Prateek met him at the VVIP guesthouse in Lucknow.

Secretary of Jeev Ashraya, Yatindra Trivedi, said: “Prateek and Aparna had invited Adityanath to visit the cow shelter during their meeting with him.”

Speaking to mediapersons, Aparna described Adityanath’s visit as a “political courtesy”. “He is the chief minister and therefore, a father figure for every resident. I am not saying this but this is what the country’s Constitution says. I will be thankful to him for my entire life as he accepted my invitation.”

“The new government has been doing good work,” Aparna maintained while stressing that a “sister-brother” relationship existed between her and Adityanath, whose real name is Ajay Singh Bisht. Aparna’s maiden name is also Bisht.

A government spokesperson said Adityanath inspected the cow shelter and issued instructions to maintain cleanliness and put cow dung and urine to better use. The Kanha Upvan Gaushala was started by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation in 2010. It has 1,850 cows and its progeny, including 900 cows and 917 bulls.