Indian Court Upholds Cow-Bull Protection

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Gujarat's gau raksha gets apex court nod

 

Pioneer News Service / New Delhi

 

In a landmark judgement overruling three previous verdicts, the

Supreme Court on Wednesday put a stamp of approval on the decade-old

order of the Gujarat Government banning the slaughter of bulls and

bullocks in the State.

 

 

 

 

A seven-judge constitutional bench headed by Chief Justice RC Lahoti

set aside the judgement of the 1998 Gujarat High Court. While terming

the order as unconstitutional, the High Court had held that the

Government order imposed unreasonable restrictions on the fundamental

rights of some petitioners who were involved in the trade.

 

 

 

The apex court on Wednesday upheld the constitutional validity of the

Gujarat Government order in a six-to-one ratio. Earlier, the matter,

which was heard by a five-judge bench, was referred to a seven-judge

bench for the interpretation of provisions of the Constitution,

especially with regard to status of directive principles viz-a-viz

fundamental rights.

 

 

 

Terming the Supreme Court as significant, Gujarat Chief Minister

Narendra Modi said it would have an impact on national life. He said

the Constitution provides for cow protection. Mahatma Gandhi also

used to advocate it. "But unfortunately it (ban on cow slaughter) was

not done due to vote bank politics.

 

 

 

The Gujarat Goverment had banned it and we are victorious today," the

Chief Minister said.

 

 

 

He said the verdict was "very significant" for those who love the cow

and believe in non-violence and "it would have a major impact on our

national life."

 

 

 

The VHP also termed the apex court verdict as "heartening" for Hindus

throughout the world. "Cow and its progeny are the backbone of our

economic, social and religious development," Parishad senior vice-

president Acharya Giriraj Kishore said. He demanded that the Centre

and State Governments immediately ban cow slaughter as provided in

the Constitution.

 

 

 

The BJP also welcomed the Supreme Court order and said with the apex

Court's verdict it would be legal wherever such prohibition was in

force.

 

 

 

"Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave had made efforts in this direction.

Article 58 of the Constitution had this intention (ban) in mind. We

welcome the verdict," party general secretary and spokesman Arun

Jaitley told reporters here. He also said since a constitution bench

had taken this decision, such laws in existence in other states or to

be enacted by others would be legal.

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