The Hindu Munnani Katchi, a pro-Hindu outfit in Tamil Nadu, has been in the news multiple times this week for its opposition to actor Kamal Haasan and the TV show Bigg Boss.
On Saturday, however, the Hindu Makkal Katchi was on something different and stopped a truck which was transporting five cows from Pudupet to Alandur on Saturday afternoon.
The owner of the cows, who claimed to be a milkman, said that he was transporting the cows to his house in Alandur from the Chennai Corporation office. Corporation officials had seized the cows after they were found grazing on the roads. He also added that he had paid Rs 8,000 as fine to corporation officials, who then handed back the cows to him.
The Hindu Munnani Katchi member had stopped the truck alleging that the cattle were being taken for slaughter.
“I was transporting my cows to my house in Alandur from Pudupet. There are five cows and they all are milch cows. My only mistake was that I did not ask for a receipt from the Corporation officer after paying money,” Bupalen, owner of the cows told Samuel Merigala, a reporter from The New Indian Express.
However, the Hindu Makkal Katchi member was adamant on seeing the receipt and alleged that the cows were being taken for slaughter. “I had seen the cows being taken in a truck, so I stopped them at Anna Salai. I wanted to check if they were being taken for slaughter,” Ram Ravi Kumar, state general secretary of Hindu Makkal Katchi told the TNIE reporter on a Facebook live.
But later, the cow owner handed over the documents to Ravi Kumar and he allowed him to take the cows away.
Unsurprisingly, he then turned his ire on officials. “I want strict action to be taken against the corporation official who took away the cattle because they were grazing on the road. The owner of the cattle is a poor person; where else will he let his cows graze? I was told by the owner that a watchman took Rs. 8000 from him and they have asked him to come back on Monday to get a receipt. This is completely unacceptable,” said Ravikumar.
While violence on people transporting cows, legally and illegally, has become common in many parts of the country, there was at least no physical violence in this instance.
Last month, around 50 villagers in Rajasthan had attacked staff and officials from Tamil Nadu Animal Husbandry Department alleging that they were smuggling 50 cows. A case was registered and about four people were arrested for creating violence.
Tamil Nadu banned cow slaughter in 1976. It allows slaughter of bull, bullock and buffalo according to rules laid down by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001, and the Tamil Nadu Animal Preservation Act, 1958. These kinds of cattle over 10 years of age can be slaughtered only after obtaining a ‘fit-for-slaughter’ certificate.