Judgement Dealing With Subject Of Slaughter Of Animals In Light Of Indian Constitution

SR No.: 269193
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: C K Chaturvedi
Publisher: Akhil Bharat Krishi Go Seva Sangh
Total Pages: 40
Language: English
Classification: Article
File Size: 8 MB

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70. This is not all about our relations with animals. Over the last many years there is also a growing concern for welfare of animals. Our descriptions of relations with them will not be complete unless the efforts going on in this direction are taken note of.
71. The decade of sixties saw the establishment of Animal Welfare Board, to carry out the provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960. This Act itself was a great milestone towards the recognition or conceding of some rights to animals against ill-treatment, though, not against the violence on them to die half way to life. This Act, too, was not result of any Government brought Bill, but it was by the efforts of a member by bringing a Private Bill. Sml. Rukmani Devi of south India in Madras made efforts to bring on statute book, the message of compassion to helpless animals. Her message took roots in 1960, when she had visited the Madras Slaughter House. She saw a calf following its mother into the Slaughter House. Before its very eyes it saw its mother's legs broken and throat slit for the blood to drain away, while she quivered in pain. However, it seems that Bill ended on a compromise. It stopped short of saying that animal should not ordinarily be killed, save in exceptional circumstances, when it does not qualify for compassion. The Act only sought to prevent the infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering on animals.
72. The Act, in fact, followed the policy of being Pennywise and Pound Foolish, in preventing cruelty. Under the Act, to punch an animal is an offence but to kill is, not. It permits controllod experiments for purpose of research and advancement of knowledge but allows killing of any animal for food. It does not prescribe any particular animals permitted to be killed for food of mankind. The result in that any animal, whether to be used for food or not, or to be used for business can be slaughtered in the name of food. The Act also does not enumerate the circumstances or conditions in which alone, any animal could be killed for food. Thus, the permitted killing is not need based and is therefore used as a shield against greed based commercialised killings enmasse, as a private enterprise or any business. Act does not specifically speak of any right to life of animals.
73. The Board constituted under the Act, is a subject matter of the Ministry of Environment, while slaughter house, wherein, such unregulated killings take place are subject of Ministry of Agriculture in Department of Animal Husbandry. Both are staying stranger to each other in this area, which is of vital importance to the life of animals. Wild life as a whole has been taken care of since 1972, by an Act of Parliament, enacted after World Environment Conference of 1972. It was enacted to arrest the extinction of endangered species. The livestock animals and other are till today left out.
74. The movement is spreading. Animal Welfare Fortnight is celebrated from Jan. 14 to Jan. 30 every year. Mobile dispensaries for animal are used, camps and symposium organised. A government body with statutory powers of on the spot punishment in the case of cruelty to animals called Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has been established, all over India.
75 Over the years various voluntary non-governmental organisations have come up to help spread awareness of need of compassion. The Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre is a centre where stray and wounded animals can have a comfortable stay till a home is found for them. Jeev Ashram puts to sleep animals with terminal diseases, an activity considered controversial. A body named KARE takes up the cause of circus animals. Animal Welfare Society is actively involved in spreading the message of kindness and propogation of vegetarianism and a simple way of life. SHRISHTI is a body for birds and wildlife sancturies
76 An organisation called BEAUTY WITHOUT CRUELTY informs public about the various cruelties cone to animals in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries in the name of research. KALPA
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