Make cow national animal, says Rajasthan High Court judge

Hyderabad: A Rajasthan High Court Judge who on Wednesday asked the Centre and the state government to declare the cow as India’s national animal and besides ensuring life term in jail for those who kill the animal that considered holy by many Hindus, raised eyebrows with his comments outside the court on the sex life of peacocks.

Justice Mahesh Chandra Sharma, who retired on Wednesday, in his 140-page order in a public interest litigation on the death of 500 cows at the government-run Hingoniya Gaushala of Jaipur, said, “It is expected from the government that it should declare cow as national animal and for this purpose the Chief Secretary and Advocate General are declared legal custodians (loco parentis) of the cow.” His remarks outside the court caught much attention. Justice Sharma presented a unique theory on the peacock, which, according to him made it the national bird.

Cow useful even after death: Judge
Speaking to mediapersons outside the court, the Judge said: “Peacock too has his qualities. He is a life-long celibate (brahmachari). He does not indulge in sex with peahen. The peahen gives birth after it gets impregnated with the tears of the peacock. A peacock or a peahen is then born... Lord Krishna used peacock’s feather for celibacy of the bird.”

Claiming to be a devotee of lord Shiva, Justice Sharma listed 11 benefits cow urine in his order, and said that cow milk and dung were useful for humans. He said the cow was useful even after its death: Its bones are used by tantriks to perform rituals. He said, “It is believed that 33 crore gods and goddesses reside inside the cow. Cow is the only living being which takes in oxygen and emits oxygen.”

Justice Sharma said, “The law has originated from religion. Religion has not come out of the law.” He said the bovine “nourishes sick persons and keeps the environment clean. It also provides antibiotics in its milk” which is used in Ayurvedic medicines.

After delivering the judgement, Justice Sharma told reporters that he could not direct the Centre to declare the cow as a national animal because the Centre was not a party to the petition and he had only made a suggestion according to the “voice of his soul” because the every Hindu had a religious and emotional attachment towards the cow.

While replying to a question he cited the Lord Krishna's attachment to cows in Brindavan and said that he had cited the Vedas in his order wherein the cow was described as a holy animal.

Asked about citing the example of Nepal, which is a Hindu state, the judge while comparing cow to a peacock said that the latter was chosen as the national bird of India because it has pious qualities.

In his order, he said: "Nepal is a Hindu nation and has declared cow as national animal. India is a predominant agriculture country based in animal rearing. As per Article 48 and 51A (g) it is expected from the state government that they should take action to get a legal entity for cow in this country."

Article 48 says the State should take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle, Article 51A(g) speaks of protecting the natural environment and having compassion for living creatures.

The bench also granted liberty to any person or class of persons to approach court with a plea in a PIL to declare cow as a national animal.