To prevent the reoccurrence of Hingonia incident in state, Rajasthan government had formulated a stringent law for protection of animal rights. In an unprecedented move, Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje has announced that the state would penalise cow owners who either abandon their animals or leave them to starve till death. It’s for the first time that a state government had implemented strict rules to discourage cow owners from neglecting cows.
Careless Cow Owners will Have to Pay Rs. 10,000 Fine on Neglecting Cows
While addressing a public hearing in Umaid Stadium, Jodhpur the CM announced that any person who fails to maintain his cattle in proper health must pay a fine of Rs. 10,000. Those who abandon old cattle or leave their cows on loose after milking them will also be punished as per the new laws.
This announcement was an aftermath of the infamous Hingonia incident wherein 5,000 cows were left to die in a local rehabilitation centre maintained by JMC (Jaipur Municipal Corporation) workers. As a consequence of strikes observed by JMC workers, the cows were left to starve without food and water for several days, ultimately leading to their deaths. This incident put Rajasthan to shame as Raje government had prided itself on forming the first cow welfare ministry in India. Consequently, BJP, a political party that patronises Hindu rights, especially cow welfare faced bitter condemnation by the opposition.
Having said that, the CM requested the natives not to dispose polythene bags and plastic waste on streets. Several cows die every year due to polythene accumulation in intestines when poor, innocent animals eat them unknowingly. According to Animal Husbandry and Cow Welfare officers, they were caught-off-guard by this announcement. Rajasthan government had been mulling imposition of tough penalties on animal abusers for a long time. The state had already imposed fines on owners of cows who leave their cows to roam about on the streets. The fine imposed on offenders ranged from Rs. 500 to Rs. 2,500, depending on the extent of crime and area.
According to Kunji Lal Meena, Secretary of Animal Husbandry department, these cases were under the jurisdiction of municipal administration. However, now that the government has imposed strict rules that will be applicable to the entire state. Earlier, the government had also announced new ‘nandi shalas’ in state. Additionally, they’d formed a ‘cow protection budget’ that would be allotted to cow shelters operating in the state.
Raje government’s seriousness regarding cow protection is obvious from the incident when JMC mayor was asked to resign from his post, following the mass deaths of cows in Hingonia. This shows that Rajasthan BJP is quite serious about animal rights.
