India: Rapid Cow Protection Force

[Guest guest]

Panel wants Rapid Cow Protection Force

Basharat Peer in New Delhi

Uncared and unhealthy cows are a common sight on Indian roads. No

eyebrows go up when they feed on garbage and leftovers, despite being

considered sacred by the majority of the population.

 

Home to 200 million cows, India has banned their killing everywhere

except Kerala and some northeastern states.

 

The passion that a "sacred cow" evokes was visible a few weeks back

in Jhajjar town of Haryana, where five people were lynched for

allegedly skinning one alive.

 

In August 2001, the Centre established a National Commission for

Cattle to suggest ways of improving the condition of cattle,

especially cows. It was formed by an order of the Prime Minister's

Office after the Shankaracharya of Kanchi, Jayendra Saraswati, went

on an indefinite fast to press for total prohibition of cow

slaughter.

 

"We recommended inclusion of the prohibition of slaughter of cow and

its progeny in fundamental rights. We have also argued that a Rapid

Cow Protection Force on the lines of other paramilitary forces be

instituted, which can operate on an all India basis for prevention of

cow slaughter," Gumman Mal Lodha, who chaired the commission, told

rediff.com

 

The commission's report said those who slaughter cows or smuggle them

to Bangladesh, Kerala and illegal slaughterhouses should be booked

under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

 

It recommended a ban on crossbreeding involving imported cattle like

Jersey. Indigenous breeds should be encouraged and import of cattle

prohibited, it said.

 

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad support

the recommendations, which are being considered by the Ministry of

Agriculture.

 

"The holy cow is not just of religious value; it also has economic

importance in India. It is the backbone of the Indian economy. Apart

from milk products, the urine of the cow is of great medicinal

importance," said Giriraj Kishore, international vice-president of

the VHP.

 

The cow is at the "centre of religious faith", he said, adding that

Hindu scriptures equate cow slaughter with murder of human beings.

 

"In our neighbouring Nepal, even today cow slaughter is punishable

with death. It is unfortunate that despite the recommendations of the

cattle commission, the ban is not being imposed and implemented

strictly in India," he told rediff.com

 

Lodha went a step further: "For centuries it [cow] has been

worshipped in Indian culture as a mother. It is revered, respected

and should be made the national animal [in place of tiger]," he said.

 

Kishore said, "Cow is already the real national animal. Such is its

importance that even the Allahabad high court has ruled that, wrongly

or rightly, Hindu consider the cow sacred and its slaughter can have

serious repercussions."

 

But many people believe that making cow slaughter illegal would just

move the industry underground, resulting in more cruelty towards the

animal.

 

The recommendations also worry the leather industry, which is worth

$4 billion and employs thousands of people.

 

Many retailers like Gap, Donna Karan, and Timberland refuse to buy

Indian leather because of protests by animal rights groups against

the ill treatment of cattle in India and their brutal killing in

slaughterhouses.

 

"There are times when orders get cancelled. Various high-profile

stores in Europe have stopped dealing with us. That hurts us

financially," said C M Khurana, a Delhi-based leather exporter.

 

There are others who believe that the leather industry would be on

the brink of disaster if the government accepts the recommendations

of the commission.

 

"Things are not bad at the moment. But if the government agrees with

the commission's proposals, the leather industry will be affected

badly," said exporter Ravi Khanna.