Need to take states in confidence on cow slaughter: Rajnath Singh

There is a need to take states into confidence on banning cow slaughter, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday, maintaining that cow was protected even during Mughal rule.

"Cow slaughter and beef was banned since the vedic times. Even during the Mughal rule, it was banned during the times of Bahadurshah Zafar, Akbar and Jehangir. It has even been written in the 'Babarnama' that one cannot rule over Hindustan unless you stop cow slaughter," he said at a function here in memory of those killed during a demonstration on the issue here 50 years ago.

The Home Minister said there was a need to take the states into confidence on the matter, though many states have already banned cow slaughter after increased awareness over the issue.

"As far as cow is concerned, it is not just a cultural issue, it is an issue of faith. But besides being an issue of faith, it is also an issue which should be viewed from economic, historical, and scientific perspective," he said.

Singh said the NDA government was working towards enforcing complete ban on smuggling of cattle to Bangladesh and taken a number of steps in this regard, but achieved only "partial success" due to the long borders.

"I want to tell you on behalf of our government that we want that cow should be protected. We have tried to stop the smuggling of cows to Bangladesh from across the borders. But the borders are very vast and we have achieved only partial success,"he said.

"We have taken a number of measures and will try to put a complete ban on smuggling of cows, but I feel this will take some time," Singh said, adding Article 48 of the Constitution mentions that governments will work to stop cow slaughter.

"We should understand that India is a federal country and there is need to take the states into confidence. Many states have already banned cow slaughter and recently Jharkhand has done so," he said.

Paying tributes to those who died on November 7, 1966 while raising the issue of cow slaughter in Delhi, the Home Minister said "I believe they gave their supreme sacrifice for a big goal. I pay my tributes to them. I also laud you for remembering them even after 50 years."

His remarks come days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi dubbed some people protecting cows as "criminals" masquerading as cow vigilantes and sought action against them.

RSS general secretary Bhayyaji Joshi said cow protection movement has come a long way as "there is a government now in place whose Home Minister is sitting among cow protectors and paying homage" to those killed 50 years ago for seeking efforts in this direction.