New Delhi, May 23 (H.S.): The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday welcomed the decision of the Calcutta High Court regarding animal slaughter and cow slaughter during Bakrid, describing the ruling as being in accordance with the Constitution and the judiciary. The VHP stated that the court had clearly observed in its judgment that animal slaughter or cow slaughter is not a religious right of any community.

VHP Central Joint General Secretary Dr. Surendra Jain, in an official statement issued on Saturday, said that the judgment also serves as a clear message to those states where stringent laws for the protection of cattle have not yet been enacted. He asserted that it is now evident that cow slaughter is a punishable offence in India and that Hindu society would not tolerate it under any circumstances.

Dr. Jain said that the High Court, in its ruling, had also referred to earlier judgments of the Supreme Court, in which laws enacted by various state governments for cattle protection had been upheld as valid and constitutional. According to him, this reinforces the legal position that cow slaughter falls within the category of criminal offences in India and that all citizens must exercise their rights strictly within the framework of the Constitution.

He further stated that while most Indian states already have laws prohibiting cow slaughter, governments in states where such laws are either weak or not effectively implemented should also take concrete steps in this direction. He urged state governments to consider imposing a complete ban on cow slaughter, keeping in mind judicial observations, environmental concerns, and public sentiments.

Dr. Jain also referred to recent directives issued by the governments of West Bengal and Delhi ahead of Bakrid, stating that these measures had been introduced keeping law and order and environmental considerations in mind. He said that activities likely to disturb communal harmony or hurt public sentiments should be avoided in public places. He appealed to other state governments to implement similar arrangements.

The VHP leader added that the organisation’s Gau Raksha Department and Bajrang Dal’s cow protection committees would remain active across the country and would work within the legal framework to ensure compliance with judicial orders and constitutional provisions. The VHP also demanded strict action in cases related to cow slaughter.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar