Bhopal: Just as I respect the cow, so do I respect my fellow men. A man is just as useful as a cow no matter whether he be a Mahomedan or a Hindu. Am I, then, to fight with or kill a Mahomedan in order to save a cow?
-MK Gandhi, Hind Swaraj
On Friday, a 19-year-old was stabbed to death at Ballabgarh, Haryana on the suspicion that he was carrying beef. And this is not the first incident of such murder by self-appointed gau rakshaks. Mohammed Akhlaq was lynched at Dadri near Delhi in September 2015. Since then, fatal attacks and beating up of persons suspected to be carrying beef or transporting animals for slaughter have been reported from several parts of the country.
Free Press spoke to people to know their views on whether violence and murder in the name of protection of cow and justified and whether the vigilante should be allowed to decide what people should eat and what should they not:
Pt Ashok Bhatt¸ priest
Hinsa kisi bhi roop mein achchi nahi hai aur hal bhi nahi hai … (violence is neither good in any form nor it is a solution). History of our county is witness that consequence of violence is not pleasant. However, in our country, some names like the Ganga, Geeta, Rama and Gau Mata are associated with Aryavrat culture. So, when we hear the name of cow, an emotional attachment automatically comes among us. Some incidents are true, some are false and some are conspiracies. We all should search for a solution to the problem peacefully. It is not only duty of government but also every citizen of the country to stop violence. And for this, first we will have to change our mentality and learn to control anger.
Maninder Singh, 27, corporate sales manager, Hyundai
It is wrong but it is being done by people who are uneducated. They even don’t know what is good and what is bad for them. They do what they have been instructed by their parties; they don’t use their own minds. The government can’t take any action against it because they are doing all these dirty politics behind the curtain. It is we who will have to be aware while electing our government. People will have to educate themselves and think for the welfare of country first, not cow.
Anupriya Sharma, 23, works in an NGO
India is a secular country where people of different religions or communities live together. So, everyone should have the right to eat as per their own wish. Although beef eating is wrong because it is related to Hindu religion and we should take care and respect everyone’s religion but the violence which is being created in the name of beef or religion is not correct. First of all, people should change their mindset.
Priyanka Pandey, homemaker
We all know cow is our mother but to commit violence in the name of cow is not good. There are many abandoned cows languishing on roads. I think cow savers should save those cows first. It is heinous crime and government should punish people who are doing this.
Mamta Joshi, teacher, Cambridge School
Violence is not acceptable at any cost. It is really very bad situation. I never ever saw such condition before. People should not react like this. Government should take strict action against such people. I think ban should be on slaughter of all animals instead of cow.
Yash Jangir, student, VNS College
Violence is wrong. The involvement of public as well as media is more behind this. Although to carry beef is illegal and people should take strict action against it but there is no need to for violence. Such activities defame the name of our country on international level.
Radhika Bhatt, 22, BEd student
I think it should not be done. It is inhuman behaviour. I think people who are selling beef should be punished. No animal should be slaughtered. It should be banned completely.
Harsh Soni, 18, BCom student
I think it should not be done. Those people who are creating such violence should be punished.
Kritika, 20, works in a private firm
Whatever happened or is happening is absolutely wrong. It is happening due to the mentality of people.
