The Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP’s) three-day Hindu Dharma Sansad, which concluded at Udupi on Sunday, has asked the Centre to declare cow as the national animal and protect it, reported The Times of India.

According to the report, the other resolutions of the Sansad were conducting DNA tests before exporting meat, withdrawal of dossier condemning cow vigilantes, preservation of Gomala land and strict action against cow theft and slaughter.

While voicing concern over “increasing incidents” of cow slaughter, where “real gau rakshaks were being targeted and eliminated by people involved in illegal slaughter of cows,” Surendra Kumar Jain, International Joint Secretary of VHP, said that the VHP has resolved to urge the Centre to make cow the national animal.