VHP sees red over beef export pitch – The Pioneer – 9.2.12

A Government recommendation for the 12th Five Year Plan seeking to change the  Export Import (EXIM) policy t o   a l l o w   b  e  e f   e x p  o r  t s   t o improve the  economy of the country has come under criticism from certain quarters that want the  idea withdrawn.  Un d e r   t  h e   M e  a t   a n dc Ab  a t t o i r s   c h a p t e r   o f   the Planning Commission, it states that “There is an existing ban on beef exports; therefore it is necessary to revise the EXIM policy to allow beef export”.

“The report has been submitted by the working group for  the 12th Five Year Plan 2012-17 which is more inclined to the slaughtering of animals rather  than protecting them,” said Vinod Bansal, media chief of the Delhi unit of the Vishwa Hindu  Parishad (VHP). The VHP has raised strong objections to the wo r k i n g   g roup   r e p  o r  t   on Animal husbandry & Dairying  for 12th Five Year Plan.    The  international organising secretary general of VHP, Dinesh Chandra advised the UPA Government to withdraw its report to the Planning Commission recommending beef export. “Export of beef will amount to a murder of the Constitution and dharma of the country,” he added. Q u o t i n g   D i r e c t i v e Principles of State Policy’s, u n d e r   A r  t i c l e   4 8   o f   t  h e Constitution, Chandra said that these directives clearly “prohibit the slaughter of cows and calves”. “We can not tolerate slaughtering of cow or its f a m i  l y   a t   a n y   c o s t .   O  u  r Agriculture Ministry is supposed to  protect and promote cows instead of slaughtering it. Father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, our first President Rajendra Prasad, pandit Madan Mo h a n   M a  l v  i y a ,   Swami Vivekanand, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Swami Ram Krishna Paramhans, Goswami Tulsi Dass, Maharshi Valmiki were amongst many social, religious and it is political leaders  who believed in protecting cows. E v e n   L o k m a n y a   B a l Gangadhar Tilak had said that “You may kill me but do not raise your hand on a cow”.

UPA Government should i mm e d i  at e l y   ro l  l  b a  c k   i t  s report, apologise to  the nation and enact a law putting a country-wide ban on cow slaughter,” he added.