On September 1, while denying bail [PDF of the judgement] to one accused of cow slaughter, the Allahabad High Court said that cows should be declared national animals of India and cow protection should be the fundamental right of the Hindus. The court further adds that when the culture and faith of a nation are hurt, the nation becomes weak. The court was hearing the bail plea of Javed, who was accused of stealing and slaughtering a cow.
“Cows should be given fundamental rights and it should be declared as National animal” – Allahabad High Court#AllahabadHighCourt pic.twitter.com/nW2rERuUZE
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) September 1, 2021
The High Court said that Javed not only stole the cow but also killed it by slitting its throat. He was identified by the eyewitnesses when he and the other accused were collecting cow beef in the forest close to the home from where they stole the cow of Khilendra Singh. Javed and the other accused had slaughtered a total of three cows that day, as per the reports. The bail was rejected by a single judge bench comprising of Justice Shekhar Yadav. “This is not the first offence of the applicant. Earlier too he had committed cow slaughter which had disturbed the harmony of society,” Justice Yadav said.
Right to life is above all
The court said that beef eaters alone do not have fundamental rights. Those who worship the cows and whose livelihoods are based on the cows also have the right to lead a meaningful life. The court added that the right to live is above all. The right to kill a cow to eat beef cannot be placed above that.
Many religions understand importance of cows
The court said that the cow’s usefulness remains intact even if she gets old. Cow dung is used to make manure, and cow urine is used in medicines. The court also noted that the cow, even if it is old, is worshipped as a mother in the Hindu religion. The court observed that the cow is considered an important part of life not only by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists but also by many Muslims and Christians. Many emperors understood the importance of cows and declared cow slaughter a punishable offence. During the time of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, cow slaughter was an offence punishable by death, the court observed.
Government should consider naming cow a national animal
The High Court noted that the government of India should consider making cows a national animal. The court said that there are rules and regulations in place to save the cows. The court added that it is very said that those who once talked about cow protection have now started consuming beef. The court also pointed out the bad conditions of cow shelters. It is said that governments make cow shelters, but the caretakers are often negligent. The High Court objected to the death of cows in cowsheds due to hunger and disease.
The court said at times, cows are kept in a dirty environment, and they do not get enough food. They start eating polythene that leads to their death. The court also pointed out that how cows are abundant by their owners once their stop giving milk. The court added seeing all this, one may question the intentions of those who call themselves cow protectors.
