VIDEO: Cows allowed to roam through government buildings in India in protest

Photo BBC Printscreen/ PARESH PADHIYAR

Charities that run cattle shelters in the western Indian state of Gujarat have released thousands of cows to protest the lack of promised government aid, reports BBC.

Videos of cows roaming around government buildings have gone viral.

Protesters have threatened to boycott the upcoming state elections if the government does not release funds.

Gujarat is among several Indian states recovering from an outbreak of a rare skin disease that has led to heavy livestock losses.

The state has reported more than 5.800 cattle deaths, while nearly 170.000 are estimated to have been affected by the disease.

Cows are sacred animals to most of India's Hindu community, and their slaughter is illegal in 18 states, including Gujarat.

In 2017, Gujarat tightened its cow protection laws by notifying that those who slaughter cows can be punished with life imprisonment.

In its budget for this year, the Gujarat government allocated 5 billion rupees ($61m; £57m) to maintain shelters for cows and other old animals in the state.

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