Indian gov’t withdraws appeal to hug cows on Valentine’s Day

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s government has withdrawn its earlier appeal to citizens to mark Valentine’s Day next week not as a celebration of romance but as “Cow Hug Day” to better promote Hindu values. The appeal had attracted widespread criticism from political rivals and on social media. A terse statement issued by the government-run Animal Welfare Board of India says the appeal issued two days earlier “stands withdrawn.” The board had said that hugging cows would bring emotional richness and increase individual and collective happiness. Devout Hindus, who worship cows as holy, say the Western holiday goes against traditional Indian values. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been pushing a Hindu agenda, seeking the religion’s supremacy in a secular nation known for its diversity.