Hyderabad: The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) India began a campaign to commemorate the World Vegetarian Day on Tuesday, while observing the whole of October as ‘world vegetarian awareness’ month.
Many Peta members, smeared with ‘blood’, lay ‘dead’ on large trays wrapped in cellophane to mimic packages of frozen meat. Their supporters held placards that read ‘meat is murder’ to urge people to shun meat and go vegan. Even as these people support this cause, there are many into using animal products and relishing non-vegetarian dishes, who are fuming at PETA-inspired activists. “Does ‘meat is murder’ mean that we are murderers”, slammed many of them.
Anushka Yadav, an associate of Peta India, said, “Animals live a miserable life only to end up on food plates. Why subject some living beings to suffering for your needs and wants, when we have other alternatives available?”
She added, “To urge people to ditch meat and go vegan is PETA’s way of demonstrating that all living being, including animals, are made of flesh and blood. We all feel pain and a variety of emotions. Eating meat is literally eating the corpse of a tormented animal.”
Kiran Ahuja of PETA India said “In today’s factory farms, animals endure unimaginable suffering. They are crammed into filthy, overcrowded spaces, denied their natural behaviors and are subjected to painful mutilations. They are slaughtered while fully conscious in front of others.”
She added, “Moreover, live-animal markets, factory farms and slaughterhouses have been breeding grounds for zoonotic diseases like bird flu and swine flu. Meat production impacts the planet as they use one-third of the world’s freshwater and cropland for animal feed, and contributing to approximately 14.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a United Nations report.”
Music teacher Anusha Mondol said “One cannot enforce their opinion on others. There are countless non-vegetarian families. It is harsh to call someone a murderer.”
Social activist Hemanth Ghoel said “Why are we creating differences among people. There is a freedom of choice. Using worlds like murder will spoil the society’s peaceful fabric. The government should intervene and put a stop to such extreme activities.”
