Written By Vishakha Sharma Billa | Express Photo by: Prem Nath Pandey
It actually is not about the beef or the law & order or even the Hinduism belief; It is about the evil that is raising its head to crush sanity and the secular forces. This is about the sick mentality that has refused to come out of its stagnating mindset and still wishes to subjugate every single weak they encounter to prove they are strong and thus superior. Women, poor, minorities are their chief targets and how they love to target practice!
Since they use the shield of Hinduism, let me barge into this chakravhiew of death and destruction by breaking this mythological shield first. Hinduism is one of the most pragmatic religions that have survived centuries because it evolved and grew to encapsulate the needs of the society as and when the changing times so needed. The cow was made a symbol for a mother as she took care of the family needs like a mother did. From providing milk to helping in the farm lands, her dung as manure and after her death also she came in the aid of the family needs; her holy status ensured her a good treatment and a better life span and thus the bounties that she offered. But practicalities have a way of disappearing when the fanatics want a symbol for all their pent up hate and bigotry.
So cow it is and it was the turn of Mohammad Akhlaq to bear the brunt! He was a Muslim, he lived in UP, UP has elections coming soon, the temple priest had a loudspeaker …all the ingredients ready to mix and get the communal pot boiling. The secular Indian fabric was tarred once again and left the dead questions hanging all around of why did this happen, who needed to make this point, how can a mob overtake civilisation so close to the national capital and on the watch of such a strong Prime Minister?
These are the reasons supporters of beef ban usually put forward and the people like sangeet som and sadhvi prachi endorse. See for yourself how they fail the logic test
1. Beef was introduced by the mugal invaders to the Indian cuisine– Absolute myth, as Vedas refer to the Brahmins eating Beef, and even during religious ceremonies. And Vedas pre date Mohammed by some centuries, as the common knowledge goes.
Ref: Rig Veda 8.43.11: uksánnaya vashánnaya sómaprsthaya vedháse stómair vidhemagnáye
Translation: Let us serve Agni with our hymns, Disposer, fed on ox and cow, who bears the Soma on his back.Ref: Rig Veda 10.86.14: uksnó hí me páncadasha sakám pácanti vimshatím, utáhám admi píva íd ubhá kuksí prnanti me v’shvasmad índra úttarah
Ref: Rig Veda 10.86.14: uksnó hí me páncadasha sakám pácanti vimshatím, utáhám admi píva íd ubhá kuksí prnanti me v’shvasmad índra úttarah
Translation: Fifteen in number, then, for me a score of bullocks they prepare, and I devour the fat thereof: they fill my belly full with food. Supreme is Indra over all. (Indra eating bulls)
Even undisputed Indian scholars like Swami Vivekanand had this to say Swami Vivekananda writes in “The complete works of Swami Vivekananda (volume-3 page 174) :
(and on page 536)
“You will be astonished if I tell you that, according to the old ceremonials, he is not a good Hindu who does not eat beef. On certain occasions he must sacrifice a bull and eat it”
So it’s not about Hinduism, it’s your turncoat hindutva that drives your sick stupidity. Be a better student of your culture before being the brand ambassadors of a frightening cult.
2. The sanctity of life– well well well, the criminals who have killed a human being over a rumour, should not even be raising this in defense if they have any shame left! But since i know them to be shameless, i will ignore the human life and ask these animals, if the sanctity of life only is the issue, then why is the life of a fragile chicken or equal beneficiary to humans, the buffalo any less? What crime has the goat and sheep done to not deserve the devotion to their sacred life?
3. The bovines are important for agriculture and milk production and thus these industries suffer due to cattle being sold for meat and consumers pay a heavy prices for milk and agricultural produce- The people who believe that the farmers sell the young good cattle for meat must get their head examined and also the others who believe the dairy industry people sell their milking cows to slaughterhouses. The cattle are sold once they are old and not in any capacity to serve the household or farm or dairy.
4. The Govt is doing what they can and we should not target the PM needlessly- The ministers and the party members have spoken and every reasonable person has heard the gross guilt and venom that the Mahesh Sharmas and Sangeet Soms spew! Their comments do not deserve a place here as they fell just short of commending the killers of Akhlaq for not raping his 17 year old daughter, who was ‘available’ at the venue of murder! We retain the right to ask the PM every question, as he came to power promising, “abki baar, modi sarkar”!
And since your arsenal of excuses must be already empty, let us drive home the real sensible point that should be your benchmark for every debate next time that gets the constitution in the way. In a sovereign democratic secular republic, it’s not enough if majority demands something. The state cannot differentiate on the basis of religion. You don’t like eating beef, you do not eat beef, the constitution permits you that and just that. It is that simple!
