Several Muslim organisations have supported the demand to declare the cow the national animal, saying the move could help end mob lynching
May 24, 2026: Ahead of Eid al-Adha, several Muslim organisations have come out in support of the demand made by Arshad Madani to declare the cow the national animal of India. Leaders backing the proposal argued that such a step could help curb the political exploitation of cow slaughter issues and reduce incidents of mob lynching and violence carried out in the name of cow protection. The demand has gained attention particularly in Uttar Pradesh, where cow-related politics has remained a major issue ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Shahabuddin Razvi strongly endorsed the proposal and said efforts would be made to build consensus among Muslim organisations before submitting a joint memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Siraj Qureshi and Yasoob Abbas also supported the idea, arguing that a uniform national policy on cow slaughter is needed across all states. Several leaders pointed to differences in state-level policies, noting that beef consumption remains legal in some BJP-ruled states while strict action is taken in others.
Senior Muslim leaders, including Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali and Kausar Hayat Khan, said the demand should be considered sincerely by the government. Madani reiterated that strict action should be taken against illegal cow slaughter and cow meat trade if the cow is declared the national animal. The debate over cow slaughter has remained politically sensitive in North India for years, especially after the 2017 crackdown on illegal slaughterhouses by the Uttar Pradesh government.