Invoking Hindu scriptures, Allahabad HC judge seeks cow slaughter ban
What's the story
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has condemned people who kill cows and also asked the central government to enact a law to ban cow slaughter and declare it as a "protected national animal." A single judge bench of Justice Shamim Ahmad, invoking Hindu scriptures, said, "Anyone who kills cows or allows others to kill them is deemed to rot in hell."
Context
Why does this story matter?
The order was issued by the court while dismissing a plea of a person booked under the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955. In the past, too, such issues triggered a major row in India when cow vigilantes took the matters into their own hands and attacked suspected cow smugglers. Many states reported violent incidents with opposition parties alleging the Centre's inaction.
Order
Cow represents divine beneficence, killers to rot in hell: Ahmad
Dismissing the plea, Justice Ahmad said, "We live in a secular country and must have respect for all religions. In Hinduism...the cow is the representative of divine and natural beneficence. Therefore it should be protected." "Anyone who kills cows or allows others to kill them is deemed to rot in hell for as many years as there are hairs upon his body," he said.
Petition
Prima facie case made out against petitioner: Judge
The bench passed the order while hearing the petitioner, Mohammad Abdul Khaliq, who had pleaded that the police had booked him without any evidence. Hence, he requested the proceedings pending against him in the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate be quashed. However, the high court dismissed his plea and held that prima facie, a case was made out against the petitioner.
Scriptures
Cow linked to deities like Lord Shiva, others
The cow has been linked with several Hindu deities, including Lord Shiva, Lord Indra, and Lord Krishna, noted Justice Ahmad. "She emerged from the ocean of milk at the time of Samudramanthan (the great churning of the ocean by the gods and demons). She was presented to the seven sages and with time came into the custody of sage Vasishta," he said, quoting legends.
Religious mentions
More observations from HC mentioning religious significance of cow
As per the judge's observation, the cow's legs symbolize the four Vedas, and her milk represents the four purushartha (human objectives). "Her horns symbolize the gods, her face the sun and moon, and her shoulders Agni (the god of fire)," Justice Ahmad said. "The cow has also been described in other forms: 'Nanda, Sunanda, Surabhi, Susheela, and Sumana," he added.