New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor took a dig at the Animal Welfare Board of India's announcement to celebrate Valentine's Day as 'Cow Hug Day'. Tharoor tweeted about the appeal after it was withdrawn by the government body. The appeal to citizens to hug a cow on Valentine's Day known for celebrating romantic relationships, led to a meme fest on social media as netizens poked fun at the unusual overlap of the two concepts. 


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Shashi Tharoor 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!"



 


The tweet also carried a photo of the Animal Welfare Board of India's official announcement which read: 'Withdrawal of appeal issued for the celebration of Cow Hug Day'.


Earlier, the government body had appealed February 14, not as Valentine's Day, but as a day to show affection towards cows. It was for the first time that the AWBI had appealed to cow lovers in the country to celebrate 'Cow Hug Day'. Earlier, the board had said the appeal has been made because the vedic traditions are almost on the "verge of extinction" due to the progress of western culture. On Thursday, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala had said it will be good if people respond positively to the call given by the AWBI to celebrate February 14 as 'Cow Hug Day'.


It also said that hugging a cow can serve as an emotionally enriching experience bringing "individual and collective happiness."


(With agency inputs)