The appeal had attracted widespread criticism from political rivals and on social media, according to AP.
A terse statement issued by the government-run Animal Welfare Board of India said the appeal issued Wednesday “stands withdrawn.”
Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a political analyst, said the call to hug cows had been “absolutely crazy, defying logic.”
“The decision to withdraw the government appeal was to prevent the politics of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) from being ridiculed in the face of severe criticism from all quarters,” he said.
Young, educated Indians typically spend Valentine’s Day crowding parks and restaurants, exchanging gifts and holding parties.