Centre withdraws cow hug day, Shashi Tharoor asks "cow-ed by jokes?"

New Delhi: After a government body withdrew its appeal for the cow-hug day, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor joined netizens making fun of it on social media.

He tweeted: "Was the Government cow-ed by the jokes made at its expense or was it merely cow-ardice? My guess is the original appeal was an oral instruction: “Valentine’s Day: let them hug their guy” & the last word was misheard by a HindiRashtravadi as gaay!"

Some netizens joined Tharoor and tweeted: "Bovine intervention" and "I thought it was a poor translation of animal husbandry". One user shared a photo of British PM Rishi Sunak feeding and petting a cow and asked "this guy a Hindi Rashtravadi too?"

The Central body was asking Indians to hug a cow on Valentine's Day. This led to a meme-fest on social media and many called it ridiculous.

The notice by the Animal Welfare Board of India had the subject line "withdrawal of the appeal issued for the celebration of cow hug day" and read "as directed by the Competent Authority and Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, the appeal issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India for the celebration of Cow Hug Day on 14th February 2023 stands withdrawn."

The appeal was made to save Vedic traditions that are almost on the "verge of extinction" due to the "progress of Western culture" and that the "dazzle of western civilisation has made our physical culture and heritage almost forgotten". The statement also said hugging cows will bring emotional richness and increase individual and collective happiness.