The AIB controversy where the group was charged for its Roast event is still fresh in our minds. The controversy was a showcase of how India is heading towards a controlled democracy rather than being fully democratic. And now the recent ban of beef in Maharashtra is yet another representation of the same path that India is taking.
How can anyone, be it the government or be it the religious activist take away the right to eat? I like chicken, I will eat chicken; I like beef, I will eat beef; I like dog shit, I will eat dog shit. How is it anyone’s business to dictate the taste buds of citizens of the biggest democracy in the world?
Slaughtering of cows was already banned in Maharashtra, with the exception of bulls, bullocks and water buffalo. With the new law, slaughtering of all cattle with the exception of water buffaloes is a criminal offense. And the law is so harsh that you can even be imprisoned for 5 years, or fined 10000 Rs for possession or sale of beef.
First of all, the reason behind banning of cows can be understood, though not logically to me, still at least on basis of religious grounds as provided by our leaders. But why bulls and bullocks? They are not sacred, like cows. Then why ban their slaughter? All that it is going to do is put out poor people involved in this trade out of business. What are the farmers going to do with unproductive bullocks? Selling them for slaughter was providing them with nice pay-offs, but now they will be forced to feed them until they die or leave them out on their own in the open. And if they get involved in the trade out of no choice, then they may be “criminals” according to the new law and end up with a fine of 10000 or 5 years in Jail.
Isn’t that ridiculous? Even if beef is against Hindu sentiments, nobody is forcing them to eat it. But why deprive others of the food that they have been eating for ages and can’t live without? Isn’t that against the whole essence of secularism?
After the development in this regard, this is what Devendra Fadnavis tweeted:
Thanks a lot Hon President Sir for the assent on Maharashtra Animal Preservation Bill. Our dream of ban on cow slaughter becomes a reality now.
Dream of ban on cow slaughter? Was it the dream that Chief Minister of Maharashtra was living with? I thought politicians saw dreams of a developed state, better infrastructure, high literacy rate, low poverty, but alas, I was wrong! For these dreams are too small in comparison to dictating the food habits of the citizens of a free country. Because that looks like power, bloody power to take away food from your plate and say “This is not what you will eat from now on, because I think that its against my religion.”
Great Going Maharastra, for the road that you are building for future looks bright enough. A road where politicians ban food that they “think” a man should not eat. Congratulations for such a wonderful law Maharashtra. May the democracy and secularism die soon!
