STOP the Barbaric and Random Slaughter of Cows in India

by: Jas Uppal
recipient: Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi and Minster for Home Affairs Mr Rajnath Singh

Update, July 23, 2014.

"In the early hours of Monday 14th of July 2014, over ten healthy cows were rescued in Hodal, Hariyana in India on their way to be slaughtered. They were rescued in Goverdhan, Indiaby 'Samarpan Goshala, a sanctuary that provides the rescued livestock care for life. (http://www.sanjeevthakurji.com/)

Indian legislation prohibits the slaughter of cows unless the cow is suffering from an incurable disease and or if its disability is so severe that it would be inhumane not to put the animal down to end its suffering.

Only one-hundred slaughter houses in the whole of India are licensed by the Indian Government to humanely undertake the termination process safely and under the supervision of qualified vet under strict regulation. However, the reality according to recent research is that there are over 900 unofficial and unregulated slaughterhouses in India, as well as individuals and gangs who target abandoned cows and proceed to barbarically slaughter them on the spot where possible. Organised cattle rustlers also steal livestock. Further, evidence suggests that healthy livestock is deliberately and cruelly maimed and disabled in order to justifying the slaughter of the animals.

Farmers arrange for newborn male calves to be separated from their mothers immediately after birth and are taken away to be abandoned to die or to be slaughtered since they are deemed to be surplus to requirements and do not produce milk.

The cows are targeted for their meat and carcasses, both of which are deemed to be a valuable commodities. The meat is consumed in India and exported and the carcasses sold to the leather industries. Many of the leather products sold in the West are produced from this targeted livestock.

Nothing whatsoever justifies the brutal treatment and attacks on any any animal.

The Indian authorities including the enforcement agencies as well as the Police Force and local politicians are fully aware of these horrendous and cruel attacks but continue to ignore the plight of these animals by failing to arrest, charge, pursue prosecution and convict the perpetrators involved, despite the fact that legislation exists to prevent the random slaughter of cattle, it is not enforced. This makes the Police and the authorities complicit in the actions of the perpetrators.

The Indian Government must intervene forthwith and stop this heinous and depraved crime and preserve the welfare rights of these animals. Further, the Indian authorities must ensure effective enforcement of legislation and prosecute the perpetrators.

The authorities must make provisions for abandoned livestock be accommodated by approved and regulated livestock sanctuaries.