RSS chief wants cow slaughter ban across India

Even while condemning recurring instances of vigilante groups taking law in their hands, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday advocated the need for a law banning cow slaughter across India.

Calling cow slaughter a “vice” that must be removed, the RSS chief pitched for stepping up of cow protection efforts by bringing more people in the drive while “completely obeying the law and the Constitution”.

Bhagwat’s remarks at an event to observe the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir came against the backdrop of the lynching of a Muslim man by cow vigilantes in Alwar in BJP-ruled Rajasthan that sparked protests from opposition parties and put the saffron party on the defensive.

“Nothing should be done while protecting cows that hurts the belief of some people. Nothing should be done that is violent. It only defames the efforts of cow protectors...The work of cow conservation should be carried out while obeying laws and the Constitution,” Bhagwat said.

Saying that many states where RSS functionaries --- a reference to BJP leaders with RSS background --- have been in power have enacted such a law, Bhagwat expressed confidence that other governments will follow suit after dealing with local “complexities”.

In several northeastern states, including some where the BJP is in power, cow slaughter is not banned while beef is consumed widely in states like Kerala and West Bengal where the party is working to emerge as a strong political force.

The RSS chief said as a veterinary doctor he is aware of a cow's utility, including the usefulness of its urine and dung, and claimed that even scientific bodies have come to accept this.

As a veterinary doctor I am aware of a cow’s utility, including the usefulness of its urine and dung Mohan Bhagwat, RSS chief