Madhya Pradesh BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma on Sunday slammed the Congress saying it was only for the sake of votes that the party promised to protect cows in its manifesto for the state assembly elections.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Sharma said it was hypocritical of Congress to promise the protection of cows in Madhya Pradesh when their party workers had earlier killed a cow in Kerala. He called the party as butchers saying that Congress only acts like cow worshippers.

"Now butchers are dreaming about cows just for sake of votes. Hypocritical that Congress workers kill a cow on camera in Kerala while here Congress acts like cow worshippers," said Sharma.

Congress in its manifesto, released on Saturday, promised 'gaushalas' (cowsheds) in every village panchayat. Titled "Vachan Patra", the manifesto talks of setting up cowsheds in every village panchayat and making arrangements for the upkeep of injured cows.

Sharma referred to the incident where a youth Congress worker slaughtered a cow on camera in Kannur district of Kerala in 2017. It is reported that this incident was a way to protest against Central government's law banning the sale of the cow for slaughter. A case was registered against the Kerala Youth Congress workers.

The 112-page "Vachan Patra" was released on Saturday at a press meet in the presence of state Congress president Kamal Nath, state campaign committee chief Jyotiraditya Scindia and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh.