Killing cows and politics
Now the other point of view: Religious matters should never intervene with the politics of a country. Because religion is based on faith, which has an ambiguous nature. The matter of god itself has no conclusive consensus. In an ideal community, such matters are purely a private affair. It should never intervene in the rights of another person. We can understand this more if we take examples from other autocratic countries where the rules of a certain religion or faith are the rules of the country as well. The beliefs of other communities are only secondary there. Think of the treatment you may receive in such countries.If you think such a treatment is derogatory, do not treat others as secondary also: that is what a progressive society should do. So from a religious point of view, banning beef only projects religious intolerance: you are interfering on the other person's rights, as you are telling him what to eat and what not. Hinduism has great traditions in this matter; certain sects of Hinduism even feed on dead human bodies. Even atheism has been a historically propounded view point in many orthodox and heterodox Hindu philosophies. The present laws regarding religion altogether also ought to be put under re-consideration, because people should have access to means of knowing the truth behind many religious organisations and their claims, which do not exist in present social scenario. That is another matter.
Now from the point of view of animal cruelty. This view has its basis in sentiments: poor animals should not be harmed. I put a few points here in this matter.
- If animal cruelty is your point, then you must be a person not eating any meat including chicken, mutton, fish etc. Even eating eggs may be considered as foeticide.
- You should avoid dairy products too, because since you are against animal cruelty, you must be against slavery of animals. The notion that 'cow gives us milk' is misleading. By treating it as a slave, it is forced to give us milk! (Well this one is a little naive, nevertheless worth contending) Of course, no human enjoys enslavement, and it must be the same with animals too.
- You must be against using many soaps, creams and other cosmetics, many medicines, leather bags, shoes, belts etc. ; not only that you must eschew these things, but you mustn't allow others to use them also, which is your attitude when it comes to beef ban.
- India ranks 5th in beef production, and first in exporting. You seem to have no problem with it. Means you don't mind if these animals are killed and taken abroad. Otherwise, if you are against it too, you want our already impoverished farmers to provide for all these cattle; or these really big number of useless and non-lactating cattle to roam about and share resources with our starving millions, and scavenge in these polluted surroundings.
These facts show that what these animal enthusiasts profess is nothing but vain sentiments.
Other area is concerning nutrition. By avoiding meat food, a large portion of Hindu population is limiting their food options and thereby straining their agricultural resources. A large number of Indian children suffer from malnutrition, and protein deficiency problems. By availing of the large quantities of meat India produces, and by avoiding superstitions related with meat-food, India could find some way to manage its abysmal nutritional levels.
Friends, think about it, impartially, independently without any preconceptions. What we want is a progressive India with free independent citizens.