Bangalore: In what seemed to be an attempt of majority appeasement, the state of Madhya Pradesh came up with its latest Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Bill, making consumption, transportation or keeping beef of any cow progeny, an offense punishable for seven years of imprisonment. The new law allows a police officer not below the rank of head constable or any authorized person by a competent authority, the power of entry, inspection, search and seizure. The law also says that no person, including transporters, shall transport any cow progeny himself or by any other person on his behalf, within or outside the State for slaughter.

While many term the move to ban cow slaughter a draconian one, be it from any state, others argue that when the substantial chunk of the population regard this animal as sacred, it’s the opinion of the majority. So the argument remains unanswered in India where sentiments rule personal freedom and yes, it yes, quite obviously India was ranked 73rd in personal freedom in 2011 Legatum Prosperity Index.

The issue remains a taboo to many and political parties like BJP can boast about their traditional stance against cow slaughter as many states come up with stringent rules. While the Hindutva theories stand good in this issue, the sentiments associated to this go inflammatory at times as it was reported that five Dalits were lynched for skinning dead cows in Jhajjar. On the other hand, the “Holy Cow’ reflects both secularism and good governance.

However, beyond the party lines, isn’t it just a political opportunism that whoever in power trying to please the majority by demanding for a ban on cow slaughter. The political wiliness behind such demands often overrides the religious sentiments. It’s not just the Narendra Modi government that went to the Supreme Court for upholding its existing ban or Yeddyurappa who introduced a similar bill in Karnataka, the so-called secular faces of the Congress too had called for ban on cow slaughter many a times in the history. And so, many Indian states such as Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhatisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir etc have such laws prevailing.  The then Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digivjay Singh demanded a countrywide ban on cow-slaughter in 2003.