India: Advani for ban on cow slaughter

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Advani for ban on cow slaughter : HindustanTimes.com

Saturday, September 07, 2002 | Updated: 00:29

 

HT Correspondent

New Delhi, September 06

 

Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani on Friday spoke the language of the

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the militant fringe of the Sangh

Parivar. Speaking at the inaugural function of a two-day conference

on 'Exhibition and the Usefulness of the Cow in the Country's

Economy' at the Indian Institute of Technology here, Advani said

there was a need to amend the Constitution for a complete ban on cow

slaughter.

 

According to the Deputy PM, the existing laws were not comprehensive

enough to enforce total prevention of cow slaughter. In his

opinion, Article 48 of the Constitution " should have been more

comprehensive in its scope " on the issue. Impressing upon the need

for such a ban, Advani said, " reverence and faith " were essential

for having such legislation.

 

Quoting from Article 48, the Deputy PM said it had only spelt out

that the State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal

husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall take steps to

preserve and improve the breeds as also prohibit slaughter of cows

and calves and all milch and draught animals.

 

Advani said the animal had a " special place " in the Indian

tradition. " Not only is the cow revered by the people as part of

their bharatiyata (Indianness), but it had played a major role in the

country's economy since time immemorial, " he remarked.

 

Reacting to Advani's advocacy of a ban on cow slaughter, CPI(M)

Politburo Sitaram Yechury said, " This is the RSS' view. This is also

the BJP's agenda. First, it was Ayodhya, then Gujarat and now a ban

on cow slaughter. And it comes from no other than the country's

Deputy PM " .

© Hindustan Times Ltd. 2002.