High Court judge B Siva Sankara Rao made the statement while dismissing a plea filed by a cattle trader The court directed Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to make the offence non-bailable The bench also asked governments to take measures to amend Sec 149 of IPC
The ban on cattle slaughter is still making news and Hyderabad High Court, on Friday, said killing and even maiming cattle a non-bailable offence under Indian Penal Code. The bench said that cow is a “substitute to Mother and God” and “sacred national wealth.”
High Court judge B Siva Sankara Rao made the statement while dismissing a plea filed by a cattle trader, from whom 63 cows and two bulls were seized. The bench quoted a previous order of Supreme Court and said that it is a settled position that Muslims do not have the fundamental right to insist on the slaughter of healthy cows during their celebrations.
The judge also directed Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to take measures to amend Section 429 of the IPC and to make the offence non-bailable. The governments were also asked to amend Sections 11 and 26 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and to enhance the punishment at par with Section 429 of the IPC or Section 10 of the AP Cow Slaughter Act, 1977.
Citing Vedas and Upanishads, the bench noted that "The cow, in particular, acquires a special sanctity and was called Aghnya (not to be slain). Thus, the cow is a sacred national wealth and no one merely owned can claim, but for to rear, either to kill or to sell for slaughter.”
He also said that killing cows is not sanctioned by Bible as well.
The court also directed Registry to communicate the matter to chief secretaries of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana government to take necessary steps and to report compliance by June 5. As the case came up on the date, public prosecutors of both states asked for more time, and they were granted time till July 7.
