It is in Tamil Nadu, where people worship Cow as Gomatha and honour bulls, and protested for Jallikattu event, slaughtering of cows, calves, animals, camels, goats in the illegal unlicensed open centers is concerns all animal lovers. Most of these cow slaughter shops are run by Muslim fundamentalist outfits namely SDPI and Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ).
These centers are functioning despite the High Court orders. Animal lovers expect the Dravidian model DMK government, keeping aside its Muslim appeasement policies, act as per the court orders to save hapless animals – that are kept ready- from being sacrificed or slaughtered before the Bakrid festival.
Tamil Nadu is a spiritual land where Nayanmars, Alwars lived and preached love, ahimsa and un-harming animals and avoid killing them for eating. Saint Tiruvalluvar, Vallalar Ramalinga Adigal asked people to shun killing animals for eating. The British rule and the invasion of Muslims, natives addicted and have a craving for the spicy and tasty beef and meat foods. It has now become a must on all days they took it occasionally. The proliferation of Biryani shops, including mushrooming of midnight ones, are classic examples of its devastating effect on them.
Leave alone the complaints of unhygienic, halal and spitting of saliva, mixing of health hazardous masalas, colouring agents and pills to cause impotency. Madras High Court in July last year had directed the TN government to ensure that animals were slaughtered only in licensed slaughterhouses and not in public places either during the ensuing Bakrid festival or any other religious festival. Justices Vineet Kothari and Krishnan Ramasamy ordered that only permitted category of animals should be allowed to be slaughtered under due certification of medical practitioners and not cows and camels which fall under the prohibited category in some States. The interim orders were passed on a public interest litigation petition filed by Madurai North Indian Welfare Association through its counsel K.R. Laxman. The petitioner association feared the spread of COVID-19 if animals were traded or slaughtered in public places.
In their interim orders, the judges quoted Mahatma Gandhi’s words “the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. The bench directed the police, municipal authorities, and State government officials to ensure strict and literal implementation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (Slaughter House) Rules of 2001 and also the rules related to the transportation of animals. It also directed the TN government to strictly follow a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy on June 18, instructing States and Union Territories to prevent the slaughtering of animals in public places.
The judges said, “We would also urge the leaders in society like the political leaders, religious leaders and social activists to propagate the idea of friendliness with animals and non-violence to them and the good message and spirit which was at the bottom of the PCA Act and the rules.”
But the above directions remain only on paper. In Tiruchirappalli, BJP has been protesting over the functioning of illegal and unlicensed slaughtering shops. A BJP leader from that area said, “we consider killing cattle is a sin. But in our town cows, bulls, calves, goats are slaughtered in open without following black glass rule. It is shocking us”.
Such centres, he said, could be seen at Aryamangalam oil mill check post area, koothuppar, Tiruverumbur Shanthi Theatre backside, Uyyakondan river bank, Sengulam colony, Beema Nagar, Uraiyur Kuravar Street and other places.
Last year we saved nearly 80 cows that were kept for Bakrid with the help of officials. “They were to be slaughtered on the Main road. They even threatened police with machetes when they take action. The illegal unlicensed slaughtering shops throw the bones, hairs and animal wastes on roads or open places, creating health and environmental issues for the locals. The regular mamools make the corporation officials to turn blind eyes to these illegal activities. The slaughter houses have the tenacity to hang and display the headless, de-skinned animal bodies (beef, mutton or red meat etc) in open tin-sheds near school. After killing they let the untreated blood and other liquid substances into open canals. Some even use the rusted hooks, cleavers, and machetes.”
They slaughter animals afflicted with contagious diseases and in unhygienic conditions, and it will cause health problems to people who consume it. The cruel way of killing cattle, including cows, calves, bulls, buffalos, goats and camels, during Bakrid in the open area, would be an eye sore and intolerable to animal lovers and non-meat eaters. In Tiruchirappalli, G Corner is the only place where slaughtering is approved. A shop owner, who has been running licensed slaughtering for over 15 years on a lease basis there, said he was following the rules strictly, and his business is badly affected by the illegal ones.”
It is reliably learnt that 13 illegal ‘cow slaughter centres are functioning in Trichy city alone without obtaining proper permission from concerned authorities and not following the prescribed guidelines. In view of the forthcoming Bakrid (July 9, 2022), a large number of cattle, including young cows, are to be slaughtered in the above non- licensed slaughterhouses and also in public places violating the provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules of 2001 and also rules related to transportation of animals. The government-run G Corner slaughterhouse is the only licensed slaughterhouse in Trichy. The situation is no different in other parts of the State, including Chennai. We hope the authorities take stern action against them without fear or bias.
