Cattle slaughter in India is a historically taboo subject because of the cows traditional status as a sacred animal in Hinduism, the largest religion in the country. Dairy products are extensively used in Hindu culture and are one of the most essential nutritional components of Hindu meals. No state law explicitly bans the consumption of beef. Prohibition of cow slaughter is a Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Article 48 of the Constitution. It reads, The State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle. Cows are routinely shipped to states with lower or no requirement for slaughter, even though it is illegal in most states to ship animals across State borders to be slaughtered. Many illegal slaughterhouses operate in large cities such as Chennai and Mumbai. As of 2004, there were 3,600 legal and 30,000 illegal slaughterhouses in India. Efforts to close them down have, so far, been largely unsuccessful. In 2013, Andhra Pradesh estimated that there were 3,100 illegal and 6 licensed slaughterhouses in the State. India produced 3.643 million metric tons of beef in 2012, of which 1.963 million metric tons was consumed domestically and 1.680 million metric tons was exported. India ranks 5th in the world in beef production, 7th in domestic consumption and 1st in exporting.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 15:55:47 +0000
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