Lucknow: The cow is part and parcel of Indian culture and should be declared as the national animal, the Allahabad High Court ruled on Wednesday.
The court said that a bill should be introduced in Parliament through which the cow should be granted fundamental rights and declared as the national animal.
A single judge bench of Shekhar Kumar Yadav made the observation while hearing the bail plea of a person charged for offences under Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act in Uttar Pradesh, timesnownews.com reported.
Justice Yadav denied the man bail and pressed for a stricter law against cow slaughter.
“India is the only country where people belonging to different caste and creed reside but they all respect each other’s religion… In such a situation, when everyone takes a step forward to unite India and support its faith, then some people whose faith and belief are not at all in the interest of the country, they only weaken the country by talking like this in the country… In view of the above circumstances, prima facie offense is proved to be committed against the applicant,” the court said.
“The work of cow protection is not only of one religion sect, but the cow is the culture of India and the work of saving the culture is of every citizen living in the country, irrespective of religion,” it added.
The court also that cow should not be linked with a particular religion and that respect for cow is a part of Indian culture.
