On his last day in office, Justice Mahesh Chandra Sharma of the Rajasthan High Court today directed the state government to coordinate with the Centre and take necessary steps to declare cow as a national animal.
What is to be noted is that a single-judge bench of Justice Sharma on his final day said that the chief secretary and advocate general of the state will be the legal custodians of the cow.
An NDTV report says that the judge told them his recommendations to the Centre were the ‘voice of his soul’ and described himself as a devotee of Lord Shiva who has reverence for the cow.
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Also, a report in The Hindustan Times quotes Sharma saying: “It is believed that 33 crore gods and goddesses reside inside the cow…cow is the only living being which intakes oxygen and emits oxygen."
There is more. According to The Indian Express, Justice Sharma had a bit to say about peacocks too. "The peacock is a lifelong celibate. It does not have 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."
Earlier in court, Justice Sharma said in his order: "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.”
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"This issue is related to sympathy, conviction and faith that why protecting and respecting the cow is an important factor. We should come up in protest to this, only then we can safeguard our animals. The way we respect our parents we should respect cows," Justice Sharma told ANI.
While Article 48 of the Constitution 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 natural environment and having compassion for living creatures.
"It is expected from the government that it should declare cow as national animal and for this purpose the Chief Secretary and Advocate General of state are declared legal custodians of cow," the judge said in a 145-page order.
The direction was made while the court was hearing the Hingonia Gaushala matter. Over a hundred cows had perished at the government-run cowshed in Jaipur last year.
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.
The direction comes at a time when many states are protesting the government's decision to impose ban on the slaughter of cattle, primarily cows, for commercial purposes.
With Agency Inputs
