Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

In Hyderabad, HC judge says cow substitute to mother & God, make its slaughter non-bailable

The Judge directed both the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments to amend the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and IPC Section 429 so that the offences under the Act are non-bailable.

STATING THAT the cow is a “substitute to mother, who is a substitute to God”, a judge of the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana High Court has said cow slaughter should be made a non-bailable offence.

Dismissing a petition filed by a cattle trader on Friday, Justice B Siva Sankara Rao also cited a Supreme Court order to state that Muslims do not have the fundamental right to slaughter healthy cows on Bakrid. “The apex court held that slaughtering of healthy cows on Bakrid is not essential or required for religious purpose of Muslims, or, in other words it is not a part of religious requirement for a Muslim that a cow must be necessarily sacrificed for earning religious merit on Bakrid,” he said.

He directed both the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments to amend the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and IPC Section 429 so that the offences under the Act are non-bailable. Both the states have been given time till July 7 to comply with the court’s direction.

Citing the Upanishads, Vedas and Puranas, Rao said: “In this country — the Bharat, for those in belief who represent a majority of population, cow is a substitute to mother, who is a substitute to God. The cow in particular acquires a special sanctity and was called ‘Aghnya’ (not to be slain). Thus, cow is a sacred national wealth.”

Stating that “cow milk is the most compatible with human mother’s milk then any other species in existence”, the Judge said, “the DNA of the cow was specifically constructed to be harmonious with mammalian human DNA.”

“Cows are equivalent to our mothers, for, when the mother’s milk has dried up, the cow gives her milk unselfishly to nourish and strengthen us. How can one who has ever drunk cow’s milk justify the killing and eating of such a mother as the sacred cow,” he said.

Also citing the Mahabharata, he said: “The surabhi cow descended from the spiritual worlds and manifested herself in the heavenly spheres from the aroma of celestial nectar for the benefit of all created beings. The direct descendants of the surabhi cows are the sacred cows from… India which are uniquely distinguished… same as the surabhi, by the beautiful hump on their backs and the wonderfully soft folds of skin under their necks. Since all cows in existence in the world today are factual descendants of the sacred cows… they are all holy as well and should always be lovingly cared for and protected with the highest esteem and greatest respect.

“One should never cause harm to cows in any way even in a dream, and one should never ever think of eating the flesh of cows as there is no action more sinful… than cow killing. Cows are the mothers of all creatures. Cows are verily the mothers of the 33 crore demigods that administrate creation in the material existence throughout all the universes. Cows are the goddesses of the gods and the refuge of all auspiciousness. Cows bestow every kind of happiness, and for these reasons they are always worshipable. Cows are the support of all the worlds for, by their milk, they nourish terrestrial beings, and, by their ghee offered in sacrifice, they nourish the denizens of the celestial realms. Nothing is superior to cows.”

The petitioner, a resident of Nalgonda, had sought the return of his cattle — 63 cows and two bulls — which were seized in August last year. “It needs to be answered whether a person can claim custody of the cows that were seized from him while he was allegedly taking them to a slaughterhouse because of the national importance of cows which are considered substitutes to mother and God,” said Justice Rao.

“Cows of various kinds and diverse colours are always worshipable. They are the foremost of all creatures… one should bow one’s head in reverence to cows… When one awakes in the morning, one should always remember cows. Before falling to sleep at night, one should always remember cows… Cows are equal to the rays of the sun that travel through the universe, giving light, warmth and nourishment,” he said.