The cow’s slaughter has been shunned in India because of a number of reasons such as being associated with god Krishna in Hinduism, cattle being respected as an integral part of rural livelihoods and an essential economic necessity. Historically, cattle slaughter has
also been opposed by various Indian religions because of the ethical principle of Ahimsa (non-violence) and the belief in the unity of all life. Article 48 of the Constitution of India mandates the state to prohibit the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle. On 26 October 2005, the Supreme Court of India, in a landmark judgement upheld the constitutional validity of anti-cow slaughter laws enacted by different state governments in India.
| Articles, Topics | External Links (to be opened in another window) |
|---|---|
| Full text of supreme court judgement on Gohatya | Link |
| Historic decision of Supreme court on cow slaughter | Link |
| Supreme court suspends | Link 1 Link 2 |
| New restrictions | Link |
‘The Cow with 84 deities’, painting by Raja Ravi Varma in
1897:
The demon with sword states, “O human beings, watch the meat eaters in Kali yuga”. The man in the front of the cow with raised hands states, “please don’t kill, the cow is the life source for everyone”. Below the cow, a community of diverse background is sharing milk and milk products. Above the cow, are two Sanskrit verses (shlokas) about the selfless living by the cow, a virtue like those of one’s parents and the gods. Inside the cow are rawn images of the major Hindu gods and goddesses. This was part of pamphlets circulated by various Agorakshanasabh (“cow protection leagues”) and “wandering ascetics” as a protest against cattle slaughter.