Case title: Mohd. Abdul Khaliq vs State

A single bench Judge, Justice Shamim Ahmed of Allahabad High Court refused to quash the case filed against one Mohd. Abdul Khaliq for cow slaughtering and transportation of sale.

While dismissing the application, justice observed that as per puranas, anyone who kills cows or allow others is deemed to rot in hell as many years as there are hairs upon his body.

Court said “Legends also state that Brahma gave life to priests and cows same time so that the priests could recite religious scriptures while cows could afford ghee (clarified butter) as offering in rituals. Anyone who kills cows or allows others to kill them is deemed to rot in hell as many years as there are hairs upon his body. Likewise, the bull is depicted as a vehicle of Lord Shiva: a symbol of respect for the male cattle”.

The bench also urged the central government to take appropriate decision to ban cow slaughtering and declare cow as “National Protected Animal”.

“This Court also hope and trust that the Central Government may take appropriate decision to ban cow slaughtering in the country and to declare the same as ‘protected national animal”.

Justice further stated that we should respect all religions including Hinduism as we are in a secular country and cow is considered as the most scared of all animals in Hinduism.

The bench observed that “We are living in a secular country and must have respect for all religions and in Hinduism, the belief and faith is that cow is representative of divine and natural beneficence and should therefore be protected and venerated”.

While giving the detailed observation on importance of cow in Hinduism, Justice said “The cow has also been associated with various deities, notably Lord Shiva (whose steed is Nandi, a bull) Lord Indra (closely associated with Kamadhenu, the wise-granting cow), Lord Krishna (a cowherd in his youth), and goddesses in general (because of the maternal attributes of many of them)…it is known as Kamadhenu, or the divine cow, and the giver of all desires”.

Further, the bench referred to Mahabharata and Puranas stating that, “In the Mahabharata, Bhishma (grandfather of the leaders of warring factions) observes that the cow acts as a surrogate mother by providing milk to human beings for a lifetime, so she is truly the mother of the world”.

“It is forbidden in parts of the Mahabharata, the great Sanskrit epic, and in the religious and ethical code known as the Manusmirti (“Tradition of Manu”), and the milk cow was already in the Rigveda said to be “unslayable”.”