News Analysis India

Tag: cow

  • MP: Bhopal-bound Vande Bharat Express hits cow near Gwalior

    By PTI

    GWALIOR: The newly-launched Hazrat Nizamuddin-Rani Kamalapati Vande Bharat Express hit a cow near Gwalior station in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday evening, resulting in damage to the train’s front portion, a Railway official said.

    The Rani Kamalapati-bound train (No 20172) hit the cow around 6.15 pm and stopped at the spot for about 15 minutes, the official said.

    The accident took place when the animal suddenly came on the rail tracks going towards Dabra in Gwalior district, he said.

    After necessary repairs of the damaged portion, the train resumed its onward journey, the official added.

    The semi-high-speed train between Rani Kamalapati (Bhopal) and Hazrat Nizamuddin (Delhi) was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 1. 

    GWALIOR: The newly-launched Hazrat Nizamuddin-Rani Kamalapati Vande Bharat Express hit a cow near Gwalior station in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday evening, resulting in damage to the train’s front portion, a Railway official said.

    The Rani Kamalapati-bound train (No 20172) hit the cow around 6.15 pm and stopped at the spot for about 15 minutes, the official said.

    The accident took place when the animal suddenly came on the rail tracks going towards Dabra in Gwalior district, he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    After necessary repairs of the damaged portion, the train resumed its onward journey, the official added.

    The semi-high-speed train between Rani Kamalapati (Bhopal) and Hazrat Nizamuddin (Delhi) was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 1. 

  • Assam bans ‘illegal killing or sacrifice of cows, calves, camels’ on Bakrid

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The Assam government has issued a standard operating procedure to thwart the illegal killing or sacrifice of cows/calves, camels and other animals on the occasion of ‘Bakrid’.

    In an order, the state’s Home department directed all deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to take action against the offenders.

    “I am directed to enclose herewith a copy of letter…dated 7th June, 2022 along with its enclosures received from the Secretary, Animal Welfare Board of India, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India regarding stopping of illegal killing/sacrifice of cows/calves, camels and other animals and taking action against the offenders for violation of Transport of Animals Rules on the occasion of Bakrid and request you to look into the matter and take necessary action within your jurisdictional area accordingly,” the order to the DCs and the SPs reads.

    The existing Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021 bans the transport of cattle to and fro the state as well as within the state and the sale or offer of beef or beef products in any area predominantly inhabited by non-beef-eating communities.

  • Set up cow shelters at block level: UP CM to officials

    Speaking on the power crisis, the chief minister said during his recent Delhi visit, the Centre has assured that the state will get more electricity as well as additional rakes to transport coal.

  • Yogi seeks vote for those who ‘save’ cows; promises monthly stipend of Rs 900 per cow

    By PTI

    AYODHYA: Launching a campaign for the fifth phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday asked people to vote for those who “protect cows and not those who kill them”.

    He also said that the state was ruled by goons before 2017, but they were put behind the bars after the BJP government assumed power.

    Adityanath was campaigning in support of the BJP candidates of the Milkipur reserved Assembly constituency and Bikapur seat in Ayodhya district on Tuesday.

    The chief minister promised to enhance the security of cows and other cattle if voted to power again.

    The farmers who rear cows will get a stipend of Rs 900 per month per cow, he announced, adding that his government will not compromise with the security of cows under any circumstances.

    Beginning his speech at RD Inter College, Bikapur, Adityanath took a veiled dig at Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and said “Babua” had not been visiting the temple at Ayodhya. “We will win all the five seats in Ayodhya, 325 seats in the state and thereby form a strong government,” he said.

    Later, addressing the gathering at Inayatnagar in Milkipur, he said the whole world was looking towards Ayodhya and Ayodhya meant Ram temple.

    “By next year, this grand temple will be ready. If Ayodhya is to be established as a grand city, there should be a double engine government of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

    Accusing the earlier SP government of favouring a community, the chief minister said electricity in the state used to be supplied on Eid and Muharram, but cut off on Holi and Diwali.

  • Dozens of cows found dead in gaushala allegedly run by BJP worker in Bhopal’s outskirts

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL: A probe has been ordered by the Bhopal district administration into the death of dozens of cows in and around a gaushala (cowshed) run by an alleged BJP worker Nirmala Devi Shandilya on the outskirts of the Madhya Pradesh capital.

    A team of officials led by Bhopal district collector Avinash Lavaniya visited the Gausewa Bharti Gaushala in the Berasiya area and conducted a detailed inspection there. The district collector ordered a detailed probe into the death of cows in and around the gaushala, the autopsy of the cow carcasses and also directed the Berasiya development block officials to take over the concerned gaushala.

    A case was registered u/s 269 and 270 IPC, (negligent act likely to spread infection or disease) against the head of the gaushala at the Berasiya police station by the SDM-Berasiya on the instructions by the collector.

    Locals and cow vigilantes protested outside the gaushala over the death of cows, demanding strict action against those running the cowshed. 

    Importantly, the Gausewa Bharti Gaushala is being run for the last two decades in the Berasiya area by alleged BJP worker Nirmala Devi Shandilya, who claims to have been the Berasiya Block president in the past.

    Cow vigilantes and right-wing Hindu outfits activists reached the spot after coming to know about cow carcasses strewn all around the gaushala and adjoining land. Visuals from the spot showed cow carcasses stuffed inside a well in the gaushala and cow carcasses and skeletons strewn all around outside the gaushala.

    “We demand stern action against the gaushala and its owner and a probe to check the possibility of the gaushala being indulgent in cow skin and bones trade,” local VHP leader Janak Singh Rajput demanded. 

    Local resident Ghanshyam Gupta alleged that the gaushala head was running a racket that killed cows and then traded in the hide and bones of the dead cows.

    Another resident Raju Dhakad alleged that the nefarious trade of killing cows and trading their remains was going on for years at the gaushala. “Whenever residents complained against her and the gaushala, she used her political influence to get villagers and residents booked by police in false cases. Around 500-700 cows have died at the gaushala,” Dhakad alleged.

    Nirmala, however, denied allegations of residents and cow vigilantes. “People leave their ill and debilitated cows here, the carcasses you are seeing are of cows who have died due to illnesses. These cows don’t belong to our gaushala but were left here by outsiders. The villagers are targeting my gaushala because I’ve stopped gambling and bootlegging here. I’m ready to face any probe or case in the matter,” she said.

    Meanwhile, the former CM and Congress’s Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh tweeted over the issue, demanding that the gaushala head Nirmala Devi Shandilya be booked for the killing of cows and the possibility of the cows’ skin and bones being illegally traded by the gaushala head be probed. A probe should also be done to enquire how many grants did the gaushala get from the government in the past.

    Meanwhile, when questioned about Nirmala Devi Shandilya’s association with the BJP, the ruling party’s two-time sitting MLA from Berasiya seat Vishnu Khatri said, “As far as I know she has never held any post in the local party unit and has also never been given any responsibility by the party organisation. She isn’t an active worker of the party, neither has she ever contested any polls on the BJP symbol. BJP is the world’s largest political party with crores of members. She could just be a primary member and nothing else.”

  • Like hostel, campus should have a large centre for cows, Union minister advises central university

    By PTI

    SAGAR: A large shelter for cows should be established on campus “on the lines of” students’ hostel, Union minister Parshottam Rupala told a central university here on Friday.

    Traditionally, cattle are a measure of prosperity, the minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said at a function at Dr. Hari Singh Gour Central University here.

    “As per our country’s tradition, prosperity is measured in cattle. It is traditional wealth which can naturally take us to all-round prosperity,” he said.

    “The university should consider establishing a large center for sheltering cows on the lines of students’ hostel,” Rupala said.

    His ministry will help for such a project, he added.

    He lauded the varsity for setting up a `Kamdhenu Adhyayan and Shodh Peeth’, and signed an MoU with it on behalf of his ministry to establish a `Kamdhenu Adhyayan and Anusandhan Kendra’, a research centre for cow-related studies.

    “Indian cows have a lot of potential and there is a need to understand it. Unfortunately people have now forgotten their importance,” he said.

    The function was also addressed by the university’s vice-chancellor Prof Neelima Gupta who said the establishment of the Kamdhenu Peeth reflected the “Vocal for Local” initiative.

  • Scientists believe cow only animal that inhales, exhales oxygen: Allahabad HC

    By PTI

    ALLAHABAD: Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court, who made headlines earlier this week for saying that cow should be declared as India’s national animal, has said in the same order that scientists believe that cow is the only animal that inhales and exhales oxygen.

    In an order dismissing the bail plea of a man accused of cow slaughter, Justice Yadav also said that ‘Panchgavya’ prepared using cow’s milk, curd, ghee, urine and dung helps in treating several incurable diseases.

    The petitioner, Javed from Sambhal district, allegedly stole and killed the cow of one Khilendra Singh along with his associates.

    In its judgement on Wednesday, the court noted that this is not the first time that the petitioner has committed cow slaughter and if he is released on bail, he will commit the same offence again.

    “According to Hinduism, 33 categories of gods and goddesses reside in a cow. Lord Krishna got all his knowledge from cow’s feet,” the court order said.

    “Jesus Christ has said that killing a cow or a bull is tantamount to killing a man. Bal Gangadhar Tilak had said that you can kill me but do not hurt a cow. Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya had advocated total prohibition of cow slaughter. Lord Buddha describes cows as the friend of man, whereas Jains have called cow heaven,” it said.

    Scientists believe that the cow is the only animal that inhales and exhales oxygen, it added.

    Claims made in the past on the cow being the only animal that exhales oxygen have generally been contradicted by the scientific community.

    “At the time of framing of the Indian Constitution, several members of the Constituent Assembly had spoken about the inclusion of cow protection as a fundamental right.

    Hindus have been worshipping cows for centuries.

    Non-Hindus also understand this and this is the reason why non-Hindu leaders strongly opposed cow slaughter during the Mughal period out of respect for Hindu sentiments,” the court order further said.

    “The majority of the country’s Muslim leadership has always been in favour of a nationwide ban on cow slaughter. Khwaja Hasan Nizami had started a movement and he wrote a book, ‘Tark-e-Gao Kushi’, in which he had written about not killing cows. Emperors Akbar, Humayun and Babur had appealed for not killing cows in their sultanate,” it said.

    “Maulana Mahmood Madani of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind has demanded the introduction of a central law to ban cow slaughter in India. In view of all these circumstances, there is a need to declare the cow as the national animal and include cow protection as a fundamental right of Hindus,” the court said.

  • ‘Cow as national animal will strengthen brotherhood’: Muslims welcome HC observation

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court observation that the cow should be declared as the national animal has received accolades from Muslim clerics.

    They welcomed the court’s suggestion saying that such a move would only strengthen brotherhood and unity among different sections of the society.

    Giving his take on the High Court observation, a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, chairman Islamic Centre of India and prominent Sunni cleric Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali said that the High Court observation should be brought into practice. “I welcome the HC observation. We have been living with amity and brotherhood in this country for ages.  Even Mughal ruler Babur had asked his successor and son Humayun to respect Hindu sentiments and to ban cow slaughter,” said the Maulana.

    Similarly, Shia cleric Maulana Yasoob Abbas, general secretary of All India Shia Personal Law Board, also backed the suggestion, saying: “We already have a firm belief that if any animal is associated with faith, it should not be hurt. Cow slaughter is forbidden if it hurts the sentiments of other religions. This is the real message of Islam and Indian culture.” Former chairman of Shia Central Waqf Board, Waseem Rizvi too hailed the High Court order saying it would be an honour for the nation to declare cow the national animal. “Those who slaughter cow should think before doing so that they are not slaughtering just an animal but their mother,” said Rizvi.

    ALSO READ | Day after HC observation, activist urges Centre to pass law to declare cows as national animal

    The Allahabad High Court had made a remark about declaring cow as the national animal while rejecting the bail application of a person named Javed who was arrested and sent to jail in an FIR registered under the Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act at Nakhasa police station in UP’s Sambhal district. Javed was booked under Section 378 of IPC and also 3/5/8 of Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act for cow theft, its slaughtering, and preserving its meat.

    Not only did the court offer this suggestion, it also directly linked the incidents of cow slaughter with the problem of the Taliban, warned people that they should not forget the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban.

    The Allahabad High Court judge Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav not only asked for declaring the cow India’s “national animal” he had claimed in his 12-page order written in Hindi that scientists believed cow was the only animal that inhaled and exhaled oxygen.

    As per the order of Justice Yadav, it is a tradition in Indian households to use ghee made of cow milk in each oblation during a yajna because it gave special energy to sunrays, which ultimately cause rain.

    The judge has elaborated on the virtues of products received from a cow. He has claimed in his order that Panchgavya, made of cow milk, curd, ghee, urine, and cow dung, helped in the treatment of several incurable diseases.

    Quoting Arya Samaj founder Dayanand Saraswati, Justice Yadav says a cow, in her lifetime, contributes milk to over 400 humans but her meat can feed just 80 people. “Jesus Christ said that killing a cow or an ox is like killing a human.”

  • Day after HC observation, activist urges Centre to pass law to declare cows as national animal

    By ANI

    DUNGARPUR: Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) President Mahant Narendra Giri on Thursday welcomed the decision of Allahabad High Court to observe cows as national animal and urged Centre to frame a law on the same.

    “I urge the central government to frame a law, present it in the Parliament and pass it so that when cows become a national animal people will respect them more,” said the ABAP President.

    This comes a day after Allahabad High Court observed that cows are an integral part of the Indian culture and suggested the Central government to give fundamental rights to the animal and declare it as the national animal.

    Welcoming the decision of the court, Giri said, “For us, cows are not animals, they are our mother.”

    He further stressed that “It is our responsibility to worship cows and serve them.”

    Highlighting the current state of cows in the country, he urged people to respect cows.

    “We are responsible for the state of cows today. We take care of them only as long as it gives us milk. This is wrong,” said the ABAP President.

    The Court’s observations came as a single bench of Justice Shekhar Yadav was hearing the bail application of a person named Javed who was arrested under the Cow Slaughter Act in Uttar Pradesh. The bail application was rejected by the court.

    Justice Yadav said that the central government should table a bill in the Parliament to give fundamental rights to cows. He further said that strict laws should be enacted to punish those harming the animal.

  • Cow should be declared national animal: Allahabad High Court

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Denying bail to a person accused of cow theft and slaughter, Allahabad High Court observed that no one could be given the right to kill a cow, how old the cattle may be. The court also said that the cow should be declared a national animal and its protection should be made a fundamental right of Hindus for the welfare of the nation.

    Claiming that cow was connected to the culture of the country, the single-judge bench of Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav said that if the culture and faith of a country were hurt, the country itself became weak.

    Refusing to grant bail to one Javed of Sambhal, accused of cow slaughter, the judge said that the plaintiff, booked under Section 379 of IPC and 3/5/8 of Cow Slaughter Prevention Act, had committed not only the cow theft but also beheading it and preserving its meat.

    Observing that fundamental right was not the prerogative of beef eaters only, Justice Yadav said those who reared the cow, worshipped it, and were financially dependent on it, too had the right to lead a meaningful life.

    Justice Yadav said that the right to life was above the right to kill and to eat beef could never be considered a fundamental right.

    ALSO READ | 2022 UP polls: Yogi govt may go on district renaming spree to woo voters

    Plucking from the pages of history, the judge claimed that the importance of the cow was understood and acknowledged both by the Hindus and Muslims. “Five Muslim rulers including Babur, Humayun, and Akbar had banned the sacrifice of cows on religious events,” observed the judge adding that Haider Ali, the nawab of Mysore, had made cow slaughter a punishable offence.

    Noting that those who had been entrusted by the government to take care of the cow in government cow sheds were not performing their duty properly, Justice Yadav said that there were examples when cows died due to hunger and disease. “They are kept in the filth. Sick and mutilated in an accident on roads and streets, cows when old, often go unattended,” lamented the judge.

    He brought home the point in his observation that the cow was useful even when it was not lactating. “When the cow is old and sick, its dung and urine are used in agriculture and medicines,” said Justice Yadav. Moreover, he added, despite the old age, the cow was worshipped as a mother by Hindus.

    Justice Yadav also referred to the judicial orders passed by many courts and the apex court as well from time to time for the protection, promotion of the cow keeping the faith of the people in mind. In the legislature, the judge said that Parliament and the state assemblies had made rules for cow protection.