“The cow is the past and future. She nourishes the health of all living entities, and she is the root of prosperity. The piety one achieves by feeding a cow in never destroyed.” Gavopanishad
Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) strongly recommends that the Prime Minister of India Honorable Narendra Modi to take immediate steps to :
1) Eliminate subsidy to export beef to other countries;
2) Close down all legal and illegal slaughterhouses;
3) Implement that the “directive principle of state policy” prohibiting the slaughterhouses;
4) Teach every Indian about the glory, value and history of “Gautama” and
5) Declare Cow as a “SACRED ANIMAL OF THE NATION.”
It is unfortunate that in a country like India where Cow has been respected and honored by all the sages; all the Gods and Goddesses; all the scriptures such as Vedas, Upanishad, Mahabharata, Ramayana and Puranas; kings over so many centuries; some of the Mughal rulers; British rulers and many political leaders during the Independence movement. For innumerable years, India has a great tradition of revering and worshipping cow as a source of milk as well as provider of panchagavyas such as milk, cow dung, ghee, urine and yogurt that enhances the health, wealth, agricultural productivity and sediments in the earth.
Since Vedic times, cow is considered sacred, treated as mother and hailed as harbinger of auspiciousness. She is a symbol of wealth, health, prosperity, blessing, peace of mind, purity, purification, and success in life. She is identified as a kamadhenu – wish fulfilling. She is revered, honored, respected as mother – an unselfish giver of bounty without expecting from her children just like a mother. All the scriptures such as Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Mahabharata, Manusmriti, and others extoll the virtues of the cow. All the Gods reside in her and killing her is considered the most heinous crime. It is often said “jivantu avadghnyah ta me vishasya dushanih” meaning that let cows live without slaughter for their whole life-they remove poison and toxins. Many sages, many Hindu Temples and numerous Ashrams maintained Gaushalas (cow shelters) for centuries recognizing the numerous benefits that accrue from the cows.
I. BJP and Cow Slaughter
The BJP manifesto that was released in April was emphatic in stating that it will protect the cow that is considered sacred for millennia in India and to Hindus especially. “In view of the contribution of cow and its progeny to agriculture, socio-economic and cultural life of our country, the department of animal husbandry will be suitably strengthened and empowered for the protection of cow and its progeny,” the BJP manifesto stated
During the election time in April 2014, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi claimed that those owning slaughterhouses and exporting cow meat are being given subsidies and tax breaks. He felt that the country, wants a Green and White Revolution, but the government in Delhi is only interested in a Pink Revolution: “When animals are slaughtered, the color of their flesh is pink”.
In an August 2012, Narendra Modi wrote on his website: “Our future generation is not getting sufficient milk and this Government wants to kill cows that provide us ‘ladder for life’. I’m sure that you will contribute your might in stopping such insane act.”
Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2012, while speaking at the 4th Annual General Meeting of the Jain International Trade Organization, he said “The UPA government allows subsidy to open slaughterhouses, whereas cotton farmers are levied duty for exporting cotton”. Modi reiterated the charge that the Centre was promoting beef exports by providing subsidies even while levying duty on cotton exports.
“The union government does not want another green revolution and white revolution, but wants to promote pink revolution,”. Modi said that it is possible to bring change within the system if motives are noble, intentions are clear and policies are coherent.
Maneka Gandhi, Union Minister for Women and Child Welfare, speaking at the International Conference on “India for Animals,” said that “India is the largest exporter of meat in the world. India kills more animals than China. Milch animals are being slaughtered and illegally traded to Bangladesh and the Middle East.”
BJP Vice President, Satpal Malik, who drafted the farm policy for the manifesto stated, “If elected, we will crack down on beef exports and we will also review the subsidy the government gives for beef or buffalo meat exports.” He further stated that the federal government pays 50-75 per cent of the cost of construction of slaughterhouses.
Ramesh Shinde, the National Spokesperson of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti said in August 2014, “The preservation and protection of cows is impossible without banning of cow slaughter. We are unable to understand why such straight forward stand is not being taken by the government and instead new slaughter houses are being permitted,”
State of Rajasthan has already passed a ban on the slaughter of the cows. The ruling BJP wants to review and toughen up the existing laws governing cow smuggling for slaughter and plans to give up to 3.5 billion rupees ($57 million) every year to nonprofits and government agencies running cattle smallholdings for feed and upkeep.
II. BAN BEEF EXPORTS FROM INDIA
Since the election, the present government has not any concrete action against the beef export, cow slaughter or on subsidy to export beef to foreign countries. A number of beef exporting industries are feeling confident that they will be able to meet the surging demand for beef from other countries. Congress government until the lections aggressively adopted a policy to promote beef exports, and rearing of male buffalos for that purpose. According to US Department of Agriculture, Indian export of beef soared 1.5 million tonnes from previous year amounting to 31 percent. They are expecting that the beef export will increase to 1.9 million this year if the trend continues. Lack of any action or any plans to deal with the beef export and cow slaughter has disappointed many supporters of BJP and Narendra Modi. Is it likely that India will be the largest beef exporter under the BJP government?
Maneka Gandhi has been advocating the ban for beef export “We are the largest beef exporters in the world and also killing them for leather production. We are actually killing more animals than China, it is appalling India is illegally exporting beef to Bangladesh and that country claims its exporting about 160,000 tonnes of beef. “But as a matter of fact they (Bangladesh) do not own a single cow,” she said.
The Petitionsite.com requesting people to sign “STOP INDIAN BEEF EXPORTS,” is being organized by B. Judith argues that “97 percent of India’s population are vegetarian and most are Hindu, a religion that regards all life with respect and the cow especially so. Given this, the fact that India’s beef export industry is booming is bound to raise questions. Letting intensive beef farming continue, however, seems to be against every moral issue the government claims to stand for … Last year, India exported 1.8 tonnes of beef, according to the Times of India, and looks set to become the world’s biggest exporter. Intensive beef farming devastates the environment, causes suffering to the animals and is incredibly offensive to India’s main religion. Tell the federal government to end beef exports now.”
R K Krishnakumar of The Economic Times writes in June 2014 that for years, beef has become an important foreign exchange earner for India next only to basmati rice, with 31% increase in quantity and 52% rise in value terms during 2013-14. India was ranked second largest beef exporter in the world with 20% market share after Brazil by the department of agriculture of the United States (USDA) in its recent report. “As per the figures of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), the beef exports totaled 14,49,759 tonne worth Rs 26,458 crore last year. The country exports mostly to South East Asian and Middle East countries. In the previous year, the growth in quantity and value was 12% and 27% respectively.”
In 2013, Naresh Dayal of International Organization for Animal Protection (OIPA) of United Nations in India has demanded from the government to reconsider meat export policy. In fact he documented that beef exports have gone up 44% in four years. According to data compiled by the animal husbandry departments of all states, meat from registered slaughterhouses increased from 5.57 lakh tonnes in 2008 to 8.05 lakh tonnes in 2011. Export earnings from bovine (beef & cattle) meat is expected to touch Rs 18,000 crore in 2012-2013.
Based on the available statistics of US department of agriculture, Kadyan said India became the largest beef exporter edging out Australia and New Zealand in May 2012. Uttar Pradesh is the top buffalo meat-producing state with 3 lakh tonnes in 2011. At least 70% of the buffalo meat is exported.
Hindu Organizations Demand action
Prakash Sharma, the national spokesman of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) stated in July, “India should basically be a milk-selling country, not meat-exporting,”
“The government had said (during the election campaign) that meat exports will be gradually banned and we hope they are.” He further observed that “Cows have a special place in our hearts, we are against any kind of slaughter – ‘these murder houses’ – we should not be killing any animal in India.”
The managing director of Sukrut Nirman Charitable Trust, Kanakarai Savadia in July 2013 urged the central government to reconsider meat export policy in the country. “There is rampant abuse of animals in transport and slaughter of meat whether for domestic consumption or export.” It appears that there are about 4000 thousand registered slaughter houses and more than 25,000 unregistered slaughterhouses subjecting the cows to cruelty. Furthermore, animals are overloaded in vehicles and transport them to different abattoirs in different states. So much cruelty is involved in the transport of the cows as they are dumped one above the other and squeeze many animals is the trucks with no consideration for the welfare of these cows. They are tied up in such a way they cannot move and one can witness the blood oozing out from these animals. In some case these animals are dead by the time they are transported to the slaughterhouses. These people follow no guidelines and safety measures during the transportation. No water and no food is provided during the transportation which may take several days to reach the destination. They do not pay any attention to the condition of animals.
In June 2014 in Goa, the ‘Goraksha Dal,’ ‘Govansh Raksha Abhiyan’, ‘Hindu Janajagruti,’ ‘Animal Rescue Squad,’ ‘Gouudnayan Foundation,’ and many Hindu organizations urged the central government stop cow-slaughter as soon as possible and issued an ultimatum to the Government to close down all the slaughter houses in the country by December 31. The National Cattle Commission under the Chairmanship of Justice Lodha and the Animal Welfare Board of India – a statutory body set up by an Act of Parliament – both have recommended that the export of meat from India should be stopped.
On October 3, 2014 BJP Haryana chief Ram Bilas Sharma has promised to treat cow slaughter as a crime equivalent to the punishment of a murder. If elected, he said at the manifesto release function, the existing law would be amended to raise the punishment for cow slaughter from five years imprisonment to life term with a fine up to Rs. 5000.
Mayankeshwar Singh, National Convener of the Cow Development Cell of India’s main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), declares that “We will build ‘cow hostels’ in cities, ‘cow pension’ will keep farmers from selling old animals to slaughterhouses, a ‘cow protection force’ will be mobilized to rescue cows,”
III. Eliminate Subsidies to Beef Export and Slaughterhouses
During the election Campaign, Narendra Modi blamed that subsidies were given to slaughterhouses, but not to those who tend cows.
In 2012, Savadia said in spite of all the violations the slaughterhouses committing, “subsidies are offered by the Central and state governments for construction and up gradation of slaughterhouses and the prevailing meat trade in the country.”
He said the Agriculture Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is providing 25% to 60% subsidy on transport of meat, pre-cooling facilities, cold storage, brand publicity, quality control, packaging development, brand publicity etc.
Sanjeeb Mukherjee & Virendra Singh Rawa observed in 2014, “The Centre provides a transport subsidy of Rs 70 a kg for buffalo meat exports. It also gives grants of 50 per cent for general areas and 75 per cent for hill areas up to Rs 15 crore for setting up and modernizing abattoirs. Between 2006-07 and 2011-12, the Centre’s total subsidy for setting up abattoirs was Rs 240 crore; another Rs 300 crore went into buffalo rearing. India became the world’s biggest buffalo meat exporter in 2012, ahead of Brazil.” (Business Standard, April 15, 2014).
Mayankeshwar Singh, National Convener of Cow Development Cell of BJP stated in April 2014, “We will build ‘cow hostels’ in cities, ‘cow pension’ will keep farmers from selling old animals to slaughterhouses, a ‘cow protection force’ will be mobilized to rescue cows.”
“Our dream is to also build a ‘cow university’ to teach the usefulness of the indigenous cow,” he said. In Karnataka, BJP even came up with slogans to substantiate their position on the slaughter of vow: “Modi ko matdan, gai ko jeevadan [Vote for Modi, give life to the cow], BJP ka sandesh, bachegi gai, bachega desh [BJP’s message, the cow will be saved, the country will be saved].” Singh stated that the BJP is committed to the conservation, protection and promotion of cow.
Subsidize Cows and Cow Products:
Build Gaushalas across the nation; use all Temple lands to build Gaushalas; donate cows to the farmers to raise them with assistance; promote the panchagavyas (milk, ghee, curd, cow dung and urine) for the health, wealth and harmony in the cosmos; conduct research on the merits of panchagavyas; export the panchagavyas to foreign countries; and also show the merits of Vegetarian food.
IV. Hindu Scriptures
It is time for the people of Bharath to reexamine their policy toward cow slaughter, assess their experience of eating the panchagavyas, examine the contribution of Cow in our lives, study the scriptures such as Vedas, Upanishads, Puranasa, Ramayana, Mahabharata and others to learn the virtues of Cow, and make every effort to teach the next generation about the richness of Gautama, and fashion yourself to introduce this subject in the educational curriculum.
Cow is referred 723 times in Rig Veda, 87 times in Yajur Veda, 170 times in Sama Veda, 331 times in Atharvana Veda. A total of 1331 times are mentioned in these four Vedas. Similarly, Aghnya is referred 20 times in Rig Veda, 5 times in Yajur Veda, 2 times in Sama Veda and 33 times in Atharvana Veda. “Dhenu” is referred 76 times in Rig Veda, 22 times in Yajur Veda, 25 times in Sama Veda, 43 times in Atharvana Veda. The meaning of Dhenu is Trupti – meaning contentment and satisfaction.
Rig Veda
“She is like the mother of the cosmic Forces, the daughter of the cosmic Matter, the sister of cosmic Energy, the center of the ambrosia. I address to men of wisdom –kill not her, the sinless inviolate cow.
May cows come and bring us good fortune; let them stay in our cowsheds and be content in our company. May many colored cows bring here prolific milk for offerings to the resplendent Lord at many dawns?
In the Atharvana Veda it is said: “The cow is the mother of Rudras; she is a daughter of the Vasus; she is the sister of Surya. She is a storehouse of ghee that is like the celestial nectar.” It further states that cow’s milk helps overcome debility and regain lost physical and mental health. It promotes intelligence and improves health. It even goes to the extent that if someone destroys our cows, horses or people, kill him with a bullet of lead. (Atharvana Veda 1.16)
Yajur Veda
Ghrtam duhaanaamaditim janaayaagne maa himsiheeh (Yajurveda 13.49) Do not kill cows and bulls who always deserve to be protected.
Antakaaya goghaatam Yajurveda 30.18 Destroy those who kill cows.
The Aghnya cows and bulls bring you prosperity. (12.73)
A verse in Yajur Veda abjures all violence: “Protect and rear the animals: do not hit the cow; do not hit the goats; nor the sheep; nor any other creature; nor two-legged animals; nor the one-legged; one should not injure any living being.”
Mahabharata
In Anusashana Parva, Bhishma, Vyasa, and Vasishta glorified the cows in no uncerti0ain terms.
Vasishta observed: Cows are sacred. “They are the foremost of all things in the world. They are verily the refuge of the universe. They are the mothers of the very deities. They are verily incomparable. Cows are the mothers of the universe. There is no gift more sacred than the gift of cows. There is no gift that produces more blessed merit.”
Veda Vyasa said: Cows are the refuge of all creatures. Cows are the embodiment of merit. Cows are sacred and blessed and are sanctifiers of all. One should never, in even one’s heart, do an injury to cows. One should, indeed, always confer happiness on them.
Bhishma mentioned: “Cows are the mothers of the universe. The human infant is fed breast milk by its human mother for under three years. After weaning, the cow acts as the surrogate mother providing milk for the rest of the human life-through childhood, adult age and old age. Cow is verily the mother of the world. One would be filled with repugnance at the ungrateful idea of killing mother, whether surrogate mother or otherwise.”
Kautilya stated in Arthasashtra: “Cattle such as calf, a bull, or a milch cow shall not be slaughtered. He who slaughters or tortures them to death shall be fined 50 panas.” He further specified that, “Whoever hurts or causes another to hurt, or steals, or causes another to steal a cow, shall be slain.”
Gandhi believed in the protection of Cow being slaughtered. “Cow protection is the gift of Hinduism to the world. And Hinduism will live so long as there are Hindus to protect the cow…… Hindus will be judged not by their TILAKS, not by the correct chanting of MANTRAS, not by their pilgrimages, not by their most punctilious observances of caste rules, but their ability to protect the cow.” (Young Indian, 6-10-1921, p. 36)
“Mother cow is in many ways better than the mother who gave us birth. Our mother gives us milk for a couple of years and then expects us to serve her when we grow up. Mother cow expects from us nothing but grass and grain. Our mother often falls ill and expects service from us. Mother cow rarely falls ill. Here is an unbroken record of service which does not end with her death. Our mother, when she dies, means expenses of burial or cremation. Mother cow is as useful dead as when she is alive. We can make use of every part of her body-her flesh, her bones, her intestines, her horns and her skin. Well, I say this not to disparage the mother who gives us birth, but in order to show you the substantial reasons for my worshipping the cow.” (H, 15-9-1940, p. 281)
Bal Gangadar Tilak considered Cow as so sacred, he even openly said: “Kill me but spare the cow.”
V. Implement Directive Principle – ARTICLE 48
It is unfortunate that India has become largest country to export beef to other countries ignoring the sacredness of the cows, allowing the people to conduct beef celebration on the university campuses without permission, tolerating the slaughter houses for political purposes, failing to take appropriate actions against the minorities and other religious people who are deliberately hurting the sentiments of Hindus, and intentionally failing to take action in implementing constitutional requirements found in the Article 48 of the Constitution: “The State shall endeavor to organize agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.”
Knowing the constitutional mandate, and knowing the intentions of minorities and other religions to malign the Hindus, Indian government and Hindu politicians since Independence in 1947 have undermined the rich cultural heritage of Hindus that existed for centuries and allowing illegal slaughterhouses to spring up in large numbers. According to some estimates India has ten times the number of illegal slaughterhouses than the approved ones. For example, as per available data there are 51 legal slaughterhouses in Orissa compared to 2073 unlicensed ones. Somewhat similar trend is observed all across India except in rare cases. It is time for Directive Principle of State Policy to see the light of the day in the new admiration.
VI. Declare COW as a National Sacred Animal
Cow should be declared as National Animal. Her qualities are unmatched, her docile nature is unparalleled, her demeanor is beyond imagination, her gentleness is superb, her enduring of tolerance is unsurpassed, her nature of ahimsa (nonviolence) is unrivalled, her image itself evokes divinity, her dignity is enchanting, her nonaggressive nature is a lesson for humanity, and her obedient nature is unmatched. Cow gives more to the sustenance of humanity and contributes to the functioning of the whole cosmos. She is ever giving, ever generous, ever bountiful, ever useful and ever happy with so little intake and expectation. She gives more to the humanity that what it takes. She is respected, honored, worshipped, decorated, admired, nurtured, and praised.
Hindus believe cow as sacred and holy and all her products are useful for health, wealth, peace of mind, and balance of cosmos. Research has been well documented the benefits of urine, cow dung, butter, ghee and curds. Cow urine is even patented for six health related deceases. (http://www.technology-patent.com/nl5.html). Many research studied are being conducted toe show that cow urine is capable of treating diabetes, blood pressure, asthma, psoriasis, eczema, heart attack, blockage in arteries, fits, cancer, AIDS, piles, prostrate, arthritis, migraine, thyroid, ulcer, acidity, constipation, gynecological problems, ear and nose problems and several other diseases.
Cow urine is considered good for health and many medicines are made using the urine. Ramesh Gupta, of the priest observed that ‘we can manufacture eye drops, medicines for stomach ailments, toothpaste, bathing soaps, herbal powdered medicine, among other things, from cow urine.’ He further states, ‘Only two things are pure in this universe, in this world. One is the water from the Holy Ganges River and the other is urine from mother holy cow,’
Mahatma Gandhi‘s admiration for Cow is well documented; “Mother cow is in many ways better than the mother who gave us birth. Our mother gives us milk for a couple of years and then expects us to serve her when we grow up. Mother cow expects from us nothing but grass and grain. Our mother often falls ill and expects service from us. Mother cow rarely falls ill.”
With faith, trust, hope, exuberance, conviction and high expectation, we request Narendra Modi to do away with this inhuman operation dealing with Gautama. We appeal the administration to ban the slaughter of the cows; remove all vestiges of subsidies to the beef exports; discontinue any grants or support given to the modernization or to the construction of new abattoirs; build Gaushalas on Temple lands that by recovering Temple lands from the government and encroachers to the cows to freely roam; provide incentives to the farmers who will adopt a cow; revive the historical significance of cow all the trough the Vedas, Upanishad, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas and many scriptures; transmit the treasure of information about Gautama to the future generations, revise the educational system to teach the next generation about Gautama; and declare COW as a National SCRED ANIMAL.
As Dr. Subramanian Swamy stated, “A new fervor for a cow renaissance is necessary. It is constitutional (for India) and we should defend it with all our might.”
Do it for Bharath, do it for the humanity, do it for Ahimsa, and do it for our consciousness.
Please FORWARD it to your FRIENDS