Dehradun: Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has said that cows are the only animals that inhale and exhale oxygen. Rawat further stated that one can get rid of breathing problems by giving a massage to "gau mata".

Rawat, in a video can be seen explaining why the cow is called "mata" (mother). He said that the cow gives “pran vayu” (oxygen) to the people.

"Cow dung and gau mutra (cow urine) is also extremely good for the entire body, including the heart and kidney. One can be cured of TB if he/she is near a cow. Our scientists are now certifying these facts," the chief minister can be heard saying in the video.

The chief minister's cow eulogy comes after Pradesh BJP president and Nainital MP Ajay Bhatt recently said that pregnant women can avoid caesarian deliveries if they drink the water of Garud Ganga, a river in Bageshwar district.

An official at the chief minister’s office (CMO) defended the Rawat's remarks saying that he was only stating something which is a common belief in the hills of Uttarakhand.

"While the medicinal values of cow milk and urine are well known, people in the hills also believe that the cow gives them oxygen," he said requesting anonymity.

Not long ago, Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb said that his government will distribute around 50,000 ducks among the local population. The ducks will add more beauty to Rudrasagar, Deb said before explaining that the presence of the ducks in the lake would also help increase the levels of oxygen in the water body.

Deb had also made a comment on the use of the internet during the Mahabharata. He said, “Indians have been using the internet since the times of Mahabharata...Internet existed long ago in our country. It may have got lost in the middle but India was top in technology since the times of Mahabharata."

Not just that, Deb had also questioned how Diana Hayden could win a beauty pageant. "I can understand Aishwarya Rai (winning a beauty pageant), at least she has traits of an Indian beauty... I don't understand the beauty of Diana Hayden. I am not opposing her, but simply questioning the process,” said Deb said in April.