By Hannah Abraham
Okay so I’m going to be up front and clear cut about it in the very beginning of this post and say: Hey! Your priorities are all messed up. People are important. Sure, cows are important too but I’d like to think that human beings are ranked slightly higher than cows.
This goes out mainly to the fanatics out there. Cows, according to the Hindu texts are sacred. The Nandi is highly worshipped in many parts of the country. There are states that have passed strict laws against cow slaughter. All true. But the real question is, how far are you willing to go in the name of religion to protect these cows?
Every other day I open up my news app and see cow vigilantes torching trucks and thrashing people because they mistook chicken feed for beef. Now, if your faith about all this is so deep-rooted the least you could do is play a little spot-the-difference and distinguish between the two.
One such incident that comes to mind is that of Rajesh Jain who probably invested a good sum of money on his truck but was pulled out of it and beaten up by the locals after his truck was set on fire all based on just mere assumption.
To what point is it okay?
Yes, sure in some states you are restricted from eating certain things. When laws are passed, laws must be followed. It is illegal to consume beef and butcher cows for their meat in certain states and if you’re in violation of these laws, there’s jail time and some major fines to pay. There is however no making barbecues out of people.
You kill the cow, I kill you? Is that something we want to propagate?
Clearly, it is not hard to see that your basic principles are moribund. You’re becoming devoid of any humanly emotions that is rudimentary for a healthy existence.
Recently, a man was killed for transporting cows in his tempo. This man made his living with his vehicle. He was a transporter. Why was he killed?
Well, one because he was no Jason Statham and two, more importantly, because the accused assumed that since they were male calves he was transporting, they were going to be slaughtered.
Now, we don’t know if these calves were going to be butchered but if they were, Mr. Poojary the transporter definitely intervened in death’s design. This disturbing murder is not something we can just let go. It is repugnant that people are willing to take away something as invaluable as a person’s life based on certain assumptions.
Here’s something to ponder upon: If you were really that religious, would you be that malevolent to another human?
And then there’s another recent case that took place in Pune. Here, an angry gang of gau rakshaks pulled a driver out of his truck, snatched his phone and fired hurtful words at him. And mind you, all this was done before they even saw that the animals in his truck were buffaloes and not cows. I’d like to mention here once again about spot-the-difference. It’s not a bad game at all. Also, how about a game of chess? So you can think before you make a move.
I have nothing against religion. But at the same time it is important to acknowledge others’ belief and respect secularity. Treating other humans like they’re worthless? And all for what? Think about it. Rethink your tenets. Be nice, be human.
Hannah Abraham is part of Center for Social Action, which is a center at Christ University, Bangalore for promoting volunteerism and enabling students to develop as socially responsible citizens through developmental initiatives. It envisions to make every student aware, sensitive, empathetic and contribute to sustainable changes in the society.
Other Recommendations:
http://edtimes.in/2016/10/to-gau-rakshaks-beef-shouldnt-be-an-issue-milk-should/
http://edtimes.in/2015/11/beef-ban-point-of-view-of-a-malayali-living-in-delhi/
http://edtimes.in/2016/10/why-do-goats-and-cows-deserve-to-die-but-people-lose-it-when-dogs-are-killed-quoraed/
