Lumpy Disease Outbreak: BJP Holds Massive Protests Against Gehlot Govt In Jaipur, Several Leaders Detained

Hundreds of party workers, led by BJP state president Satish Poonia, marched from the BJP office to the Assembly, but were stopped by the police.

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a massive protest on Tuesday in Jaipur against the Ashok Gehlot government after thousands of cattle died in Rajasthan due to Lumpy skin disease. Besides alleging that the government was turning a blind eye over the 55,000 cattle deaths in the state due to Lumpy virus, the BJP protest was held to highlight issues like increased electricity rates and power cuts, unemployment, worsening law and order and fake farmer loan waiver promises.

Hundreds of party workers, led by BJP state president Satish Poonia, marched from the BJP office to the Assembly, but were stopped by the police. A heavy police force was deployed to stop the activists from moving forward.

It led to a clash between party workers and the police. The workers also broke police barricades on Sahakar Marg in Jaipur. Poonia was also seen climbing a barricade. 

Jaipur Police detained several office-bearers, party workers, MPs and MLAs, including Poonia, and took them to Bani Park police station.

Earlier, Pushkar BJP MLA Suresh Rawat arrived at the Rajasthan Assembly with a cow in an unusual incident on Monday. It was done to protest the spread of Lumpy disease in livestock. The cow ran away as soon as the BJP MLA arrived on the scene and began speaking.

Lumpy skin disease is transmitted by insects that feed on blood such as mosquitoes, ticks, and certain species of flies. It can also spread through contaminated fodder and water. Lumpy skin disease causes fever, nodules on the skin and in severe cases can also lead to death.  The viral disease's outbreak has prompted a massive vaccination drive in the country.

On September 19, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took note of the issue and stated that the state government's priority was to address the lumpy disease, but that vaccines would be provided by the Centre.

"I called a meeting on August 15 regarding lumpy skin disease and called the leaders of the opposition, talked to everyone, talked to the religious leaders, our priority is how to save the lives of cows from lumpy skin disease, but the central government will give the vaccines and medicines," tweeted CM Gehlot.

The disease has been ravaging cattle across the country, with cows from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab dying in large numbers. 

The animal husbandry department of Maharashtra reported on Saturday that 126 cattle had died and that the Lumpy virus had infected 25 districts in the state.

The release also stated that, despite the fact that Lumpy Skin Disease is rapidly spreading, is not transmitted to humans from animals or through cow milk.

On August 10, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar launched Lumpi-ProVac, an indigenous vaccine to protect livestock from Lumpy skin disease.

(With Inputs From ANI)