Congress dares BJP govt to implement cow slaughter ban in Arunachal

Accusing the Centre and state governments of pursuing dictatorial paths on the issue of what to eat and what not, what to wear and what not, Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Takam Sanjoy today challenged the BJP-led NDA Govt to implement cow slaughter in Arunachal Pradesh.

Putting a blanket ban on cow slaughter by present BJP-led NDA Govt in the Centre clearly reflected its Hindutua agenda, but would lead to disappearance of cows, the so called Gomata of the Hindus, with time, Sanjoy told ANI, adding that some BJP leaders, including Union MoS (Home Affairs) Kiren Rijiju and former state governor J P Rajkhowa had equated cow with Mithun, which amounted to insulting the age-old culture, rituals and traditions of Arunachal tribals. These persons should publicly explain as to how Mithun could be equated with cow.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the tribal community, mostly meat eaters, are supplied by mostly outside non-tribal traders. The meat trade provides sustained livelihood to a large section of people across this tribal state and a ban would hit them hard and have far reaching consequences,, Sanjoy said.

The cow slaughter ban has been opposed tooth and nail by masses in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal, which reflects the move as being anti-people a direct violation of human rights. It also disturbs and displaces the man-animal equation, Sanjoy said.

The far reaching implications of such a ban has been vouched in a recent write-up in the Times of India by Emeritus Professor Kirit S. Parikh, founder director of Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, who had served as senior economic advisor to UN Development Programme (October 1997 to September 1998), Economic Advisory Council member of then PMs Atal Behari Vajpayee, Rajiv Gandhi, V P Singh and P V Narasimha Rao.

"In 2012, there were around 180 million heads of cattle. If the ban is effectively implemented all over the country, the number of cattle heads by 2027 will be around 360 to 400 million. They will put an enormous strain on the resources of the country. What however is likely to happen is that milk production from cows will be no longer competitive with milk production from buffaloes.

"No one would want to keep cows. Even bullocks used in farm operations will become expensive and would be replaced by tractors or working buffaloes. The ban on cow slaughter will result in a ban on cows. They may disappear from India," Parikh said.

We can't kill cows according to BJP-RSS, but India is global leader in beef exports. If cow vigilantes continue to terrorise and murder people without any fear of punishment, as happened in Rajasthan on 5 April last, one can be sure that no one will want to keep any cows. Cows will be banished from India.

Poor Indians, particularly the milkmen community, should be ready for alternative once cows disappear and would be mothers should ponder seriously what to feed their newborns if policy of present central Govt led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues.

Does Modi's model code of governance 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikash' means 'Sabka Saath, Sabka (shrif BJP-RSS ka) Vikash'? It is high time for the people to realise the meaning and act before it becomes too late to repent, Sajnoy added.

The views expressed in the above article are by Mr. Pradeep Kumar, Editor, Arunachal Front.

-ANI