The Allahabad High Court has asked the the Central government to ban the slaughter of cows in the country along with declaring cows as a national protected animal, since the cow is the representative of the divine in Hinduism.
Single-judge Justice Shamim Ahmed in an order which was passed on February 14 observed that as per Puranas, anyone who kills cows or allows others to kill them is deemed to rot in hell.
The Court said that as per Hindu legends, Lord Brahma gave life to priests and cows at the same time so that the priests could recite religious scriptures while cows could afford ghee (clarified butter) as offering in rituals.
The Court also added that as per the legends anyone who kills cows or allows others to kill them is deemed to rot in hell as many years as there are hairs upon his body. The Court further said that in the same way, the bull too is depicted as a vehicle of Lord Shiva: a symbol of respect for the male bovine.
The judge said that India is a secular country, and we should respect all religions including Hinduism.
The judge added that the belief and faith is that cow is representative of divine and natural beneficence and should therefore be protected and venerated.
The Court talked about the late 19th and 20th century, when a movement was started in India to protect cows which unified the citizens by demanding that the Government of India ban cow slaughter with immediate effect.
The bench said it believes and trusts that the Central Government would take appropriate decision to ban cow slaughtering in the country and for declaring the same as protected national animal.
The order was passed in a plea which was filed by one Mohd. Abdul Khaliq, who had moved the Court asking to quash the criminal case filed against him for cow slaughtering and transportation for sale.
The Court found that a prima facie case was made out against the accused. From the perusal of materials on record and looking into the facts of the present case and after considering the arguments made at the bar, it does appears that an has been made out against the applicant and so the court refused to quash the case.
The single-judge said that the cow has also been associated with various deities, notably Lord Shiva (whose steed is Nandi, a bull) Lord Indra (closely associated with Kamadhenu, the wish-granting cow), Lord Krishna (a cowherd in his youth), and goddesses in general (because of the maternal attributes of many of them)…it is known as Kamadhenu, or the divine cow, and the giver of all desires.
The Court added the origin of the veneration of the cow can be traced to the Vedic period as it was used in rites of healing purification, and penance of the panchagavya, the five products of the cow: milk, curd, butter, urine, and dung.
The Court also referred to the Mahabharata where Bhishma observes the cow acts as a surrogate mother by providing milk to human beings for a lifetime, so she is truly the mother of the world.
The Puranas state that nothing is more religious than the gift of cows and Lord Rama was given a gift of many cows, the judge added.