Cattle Politics and us

Well Kaleidoscope like others had enough with ridiculing the cattle protectionism and beef ban issues! He has ridiculed a section of his fellow citizens as sons and daughters of mother cow, similar he has received responses like "Seku" (meaning psudo secular), "Maku" (meaning psudo Marxist), and sometimes a more personal attack like "Ar you Bangladeshi?" "Would like to be beaten up by us?" Kaleidsocope knows these means nothing and no one is going to take these issues seriously. However, the Central policy of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Market) Rules, 2017 does matter.

What if Beef is the beginning?

Why Beef is suddenly getting high? Surely because beef is considered as food by a section of people in India and most prominently it is attached with the Muslim communities - although it is true that not only Muslims but also a certain sections of the Hindus and Tribal people consider Beef as their food. 

Beef is cheaper than any other forms of meat and contains protein - a vital nutrient which is otherwise quite costly. It doesn't matter to Kaleidoscope if he doesn’t get to eat beef regularly. So, does it matter if Kaleidoscope doesn’t get to eat eggs or fish regularly? Yes it does! Hence, it would stupid to think that a ban on beef doesn’t matter, actually it matters a lot. Ideally no one would like to have state intervention in his/her food habit. However, it is not the beef which is the main concern here.

Kaleidoscope would like to begin with this photograph which he took at Jindal Steel Work (JSW) factory site. A man after a long day of cattle grazing was returning to his home. After the barren land on which these cattles used to graze was acquired by the JSW there was a serious shortage of fodder and hence, the major choice for the families of cattle grazers was to reduce the size of their cattles, which simply means selling off a few to serve and feed the rest better.

Now if we think of the law which has been passed in 2017 it also entails:

1.     Construction of Animal Market Committees (AMCs) which will look after and ensure that cattle are exchanged for farming or milking purpose only and not for the sale.

2.     A person brining cattle to market is supposed to furnish details and a declaration that he is not selling cattle for slaughter. S/he is also supposed to give photocopy of one or more of his identity proofs.

3.     Special enforcement would be called for in border areas of the country.

A lit of whats?

1.     What will happen to the leather industry?

2.     What will happen to the meat sellers?

3.     What will happen to the cattle which are old and cannot be taken care of by their owners?

4.     What will happen to the poor farmer who cannot take care of his/her extra cattle?

5.     What will happen to the people who consider cattle as their valuable assets? As because of the change in market pattern the price for cattle will fall down.

While these questions do not bother people with whom Kaleidoscope interacts regularly, they do feel insecured if there is a downfall or uprise in the price of gold or their share markets.

Shames to follow:

Of course, Kaleidoscope ridiculed people who celebrated the beef ban. However, Kaleidoscope also knows a large section of them would find it really insulting if some day fish gets a ban because Lord Vishnu had a fish avatar as well. However, since that day is yet to come, the celebration and hyperactivity will continue. The problem however continue to amaze as it is believed that Cow yields oxygene although cow fart and barp is a cause of ozone depletion. People will continue to believe Cow has gold in urine and Ramdev will continue to advertise its product Gonyle which is supposed to protect his mother the famous Gawmata.

One a serious note, the hyperactivity has already taken lives of many, raped a few and have raise the communal tension between communities which has a history of riot and misunderstandings. There is obviously no immediate escape from this situation. Sadly Kaleidoscope will continue to miss those cheap beef rolls near New Market area as they have already stopped cooking them and perhaps the chilli beef at Caventers’ Darjeeling. Oh! Did he forgot, Darjeeling is on fire too!