Help protect cows, Centre tells states

New Delhi, Nov. 6: There was a need to take states into confidence on banning cow slaughter, home minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday, maintaining that cow was protected even during Mughal rule.

“Cow slaughter and beef was banned since the vedic times. Even during the Mughal rule, it was banned during the times of Bahadur Shah Zafar, Akbar and Jehangir. It has even been written in the ‘Babarnama’ that one cannot rule over Hindustan unless you stop cow slaughter,” he said at a function here in memory of those killed during a demonstration on the issue here 50 years ago.

The home minister said there was a need to take the states into confidence on the matter, though many states have already banned cow slaughter after increased awareness over the issue.

“As far as cow is concerned, it is not just a cultural issue, it is an issue of faith. But besides being an issue of faith, it is also an issue which should be viewed from economic, historical and scientific perspective,” he said.

Mr Singh said the NDA government was working towards enforcing complete ban on smuggling of cattle to Bangladesh and taken a number of steps in this regard, but achieved only “partial success” keeping in view the long borders.

“We have tried to stop the smuggling of cows to Bangladesh from across the borders. But the borders are very vast and we have achieved only partial success.