Raiganj, October 31: Beginning from Kurukshetra and passing through various parts of the country the Vishwa Mangal Gou Gram Yatra reached Raiganj of West Bengal today where the local people extended traditional welcome to it. Thousands of people assembled at Siliguri Crossing to welcome the Yatra. The women dressed in traditional sarees performed puja in traditional style. After visiting Bihar, the Yatra is in West Bengal for the last two days. The influence of the yatra can be witnessed everywhere in the state.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Dinesh, convener of the Yatra in north India, thanked the people of Bengal for extending touching welcome to the yatra and said the welcome extended by them symbolised their love to the cow. He said the protection of the cow means protection of the whole earth. Enumerating the information about the Yatra, he said it is not a political, religious or social yatra, it is a mass movement started by leading saints of the country to educate the countrymen about many problems the nation is facing today. He said the foundation of our culture, the govansh, is at the verge of extinction and only eight crore cows including two crore cross breed, survive today.

He said the declining number of the govansh is creating threat to our existence itself. If the cow slaughter does not stop we shall not be able make the country a prosper nation. He appealed to the people for cow protection and said if we want to ensure bright future for our children we must protect the cow today.

The Yatra reached Raiganj passing through Khoribari, Islampur and Dalkola. Swami Ramnayan Das, national secretary of the Yatra Shri Shankarlal, convener of the yatra for eastern India Shri Bhaskar Kulkarni and many other leading personalities were also present on the occasion.