Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 30: "Cows are our national asset. Towards saving them from getting butchered, there is only one way, that is, of bringing ban on cow slaughter through law. Slaughter of cows and their theft should be treated as grave crimes, and death penalty should be imposed for offenders. I will soon move private member's bill in the Rajya Sabha towards protection of cows," announced BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member, Dr Subramanian Swamy.

He was delivering keynote address at the 'Maha Triveni' programme held as part of the concluding programme of 'Mangala Gau Yatre' at Kulur here on Sunday January 29.

Swamy asserted that protection of cow is not the demand of the people, as it has already been clearly spelt out in Indian constitution. He pointed out that the authors of Indian constitution had also made a mention about banning of cow slaughter. "Father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhiji, was also a staunch supporter of ban on cow slaughter. Babu Rajendra Prasad and Dr B R Ambedkar too had lent support to enforcing ban on cow slaughter. But tragically, secular forces have blocked the efforts to bring into force ban such a law," he lamented.

Subramanian Swamy recalled that even the Supreme Court, in its order of 1958, had observed that cow slaughter ban was a constitutional right. The court had observed in 2003 that the government should legally enforce ban on cow slaughter. "But none of the governments took interest in this direction. I am considering moving of a private bill to ban cow slaughter. Along with that, ban needs to be placed on the export of beef. In the eyes of Christians and Muslims too cow slaughter is not mandatory. For the law to come into effect, parliament has to discuss all the issues in detail," he explained.

He said that conservation of India's ancient culture, cow slaughter ban, and construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodha are the three things which the country longs for, and called upon citizens to pledge to vigorously work towards making these a reality. Swamy also hailed the programme now held in the city under the leadership of Sri Raghaveshwara Bharati Swamiji, and cheered its total success. On this occasion, Raghaveshwara Bharati Swamiji announced that he will not go back from trying to achieve the goal of cow slaughter ban at any cost.

He also called upon the government to allow the cows being looked after by local communities to graze at Malemahadeshwara Hills, which has been banned since sometime, noting that cows there are dying for want of fodder, noting that cows are barred from entering the forest limits in the name of tiger protection. He also accused the government of neglecting the frequent deaths of Amrita Mahal breed of cows at Ajjampura in Chikkamagaluru because of the failure of the government to provide enough fodder to them.

President of Mahamangala Reception Committee, N Vinay Hegde, said that this programme has given a clear message to the country to protect cow species. He called upon the populace to work to reach the goal of banning cow slaughter so that this historic event gets etched out in the memory of the people for several centuries. In his audio message, Sri Vishweshateertha Swamiji of Pejavar Math appreciated the programme and asked religious leaders, government, and the the society to come together and frame programmes aimed at the welfare of the country in the long run.