Protect A Cow

THE VEDIC PERSPECTIVE : YUGA CYCLES, MEGALITHIC STRUCTURES, AND THE IRON AGE

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/vedic-perspective/2010/10/30/vedic-perspective

The principles of religion, namely austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness, as we have already discussed, may be followed by the follower of any faith. There is no need to turn from Hindu to Mohammedan to Christian or some other faith and thus become a renegade and not follow the principles of religion. The Bhagavatam religion urges following the principles of religion. The principles of religion are not the dogmas or regulative principles of a certain faith. Such regulative principles may be different in terms of the time and place concerned. One has to see whether the aims of religion have been achieved. Sticking to the dogmas and formulas without attaining the real principles is not good. A secular state may be impartial to any particular type of faith, but the state cannot be indifferent to the principles of religion as above-mentioned. But in the age of Kali, the executive heads of state will be indifferent to such religious principles, and therefore under their patronage the opponents of religious principles, such as greed, falsehood, cheating and pilfery, will naturally follow, and so there will be no meaning to propaganda crying to stop corruption in the state.

A little-known fact is that a book written over five thousand years ago-- Srimad-Bhagavatam--predicted many current trends and events with amazing accuracy.

Srimad-Bhagavatam's twelfth canto prophesies:

"Religious principles will be determined by a show of strength [and] measured by a person's reputation for material accomplishments."

"Those without money will be unable to get justice, and anyone who can cleverly juggle words will be considered a scholar."

"With each day religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, forgiveness, mercy, duration of life, bodily strength, and memory will all decrease more and more by the mighty force of time." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.2.1)

With the progress of this age [Kali-yuga], dharma, religious principles; satyam, truthfulness; saucam, cleanliness; ksama, forgiveness; daya, mercifulness; ayuh, duration of life; balam, bodily strength; smrti, memory--these eight things will gradually decrease to nil or almost nil.

Another symptom of the Kali-yuga predicted in the Srimad-Bhagavatam is the decrease in memory (smrti)

Another symptom of Kali-yuga is the decrease in religion.

Another symptom is vittam eva kalau nrnam janmacara-gunodayah: "In Kali-yuga, a man's qualities and social position will be calculated according to the extent of his wealth." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.2.2)

Another symptom of Kali-yuga: dharma-nyaya-vyavasthayam karanam balam eva hi. "Religious principles and justice will be determined by a show of strength." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.2.2)

The relationship between husband and wife will depend on abhiruci, their liking each other, not deep understanding.

The next symptoms of this age are stritve pumstve ca hi ratir vipratve sutram eva hi: "A husband and wife will stay together only as long as there is sex attraction, and brahmanas [saintly intellectuals] will be known only by their wearing a two cent thread."

Another symptom of Kali-yuga is avrttya nyaya-daurbalyam panditye capalam vacah: "Those without money will be unable to get justice, and anyone who can cleverly juggle words will be considered a scholar." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.2.4)

Next Srimad-Bhagavatam says, "Poverty will be looked on as dishonorable, while a hypocrite who can put on a show will be thought pious. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.2.5)

Another symptom is dure vary-ayanam tirtham lavanyam kesa-dharanam: "Just going to some faraway river will be considered a proper pilgrimage, and a man will think he is beautiful if he has long hair." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.2.6)

The next symptoms are: "The purpose of life will consist simply of filling one's stomach, and audacity will become equivalent to conclusive truth. Religiosity will be measured by a person's reputation for material accomplishments." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.2.6)

The next symptom is satyatve dharstyam eva hi: Anyone who is expert at word jugglery will be considered very truthful.

Another symptom, daksyam kutumba-bharanam: One shall be considered very expert if he can maintain his family--his wife and children. In other words, this will become very difficult. In fact, it has already become difficult. To maintain a wife and two children is now a great burden. Therefore no one wants to marry.

The next verse describes what will happen when all the people have been thus infected by the poison of Kali-yuga. It won't matter whether one is a brahmana [a learned and pure intellectual] or a ksatriya [an administrator or soldier] or a vaisya [a merchant or farmer] or a sudra [a laborer] or a candala [a dog-eater]. If one is powerful in getting votes, he will occupy the presidential or royal post. Anyone who can get your votes by hook or crook can occupy the post of leader. He may be rascal number one, but he will be given the supreme, exalted presidential post.

The Bhagavatam describes these leaders in the next verse: "The citizens will be so oppressed by merciless rogues in the guise of rulers that they will give up their spouses and property and flee to the hills and forests." So, the men who acquire a government post by vote are mostly lubdhai rajanyaih, greedy government men. Nirghrnair dasyu: Their business is plundering the public. And we actually see that every year the government men are exacting heavy taxes, and whatever money is received they divide among themselves, while the citizens' condition remains the same. Every government is doing that. Gradually, all people will feel so much harassed that acchinna-dara-dravinah: They will want to give up their family life (their wife and their money) and go to the forest.(Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.2.8)

Another symptom of Kali-yuga: Mothers will kill their children in the womb.

The next symptom of this age: Cows and other animals will sent to slaughterhouses merely for the satisfaction of the tongue.

The Srimad-Bhagavatam then goes on to state that the righteous men of this age should combine together to counteract these symptoms.

They are recommending wholesale cow slaughter in India. Unfortunately, we have to be governed by such rascals.

690522SB.NV                  Lectures
That is the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that bharata-bhumite haila manusya janma yara. Anyone who has taken birth in this holy land of India, Bharatavarsa... Just see how Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives power to every Indian. Every Indian has got this opportunity because his land of religion, the land of knowledge, spiritual knowledge. But these rascal men, they are being taught that "Throw away these books." You see. Such misfortunate condition is now in India. They are recommending wholesale cow slaughter in India, to make this business... Unfortunately, we have to be governed by such rascals.

Any leader who is at all religious should resign his post in protest if cow slaughter goes on under his rule.

JSD 7.1           Plato: Goodness and Government  
At present, however--because the head of the social body is missing--it is a dead body. The head is very important, and our Krsna consciousness movement is attempting to create some brahmanas who will form the head of society. Then the administrators will be able to rule very nicely under the instructions of the philosophers and theologians--that is, under the instructions of God-conscious people. A God conscious brahmana would never advise opening slaughterhouses. But now, the many rascals heading the government allow animal slaughter. When Maharaja Pariksit saw a degraded man trying to kill a cow, he immediately drew his sword and said, "Who are you? Why are you trying to kill this cow?" He was a real king. Nowadays, unqualified men have taken the presidential post. And although they may pose themselves as very religious, they are simply rascals. Why? Because under their noses thousands of cows are being killed, while they collect a good salary. Any leader who is at all religious should resign his post in protest if cow slaughter goes on under his rule. Since people do not know that these administrators are rascals, they are suffering. And the people are also rascals because they are voting for these bigger rascals. It is Plato's view that the government should be ideal, and this is the ideal: The saintly philosophers should be at the head of the state; according to their advice the politicians should rule; under the protection of the politicians, the productive class should provide the necessities of life; and the laborer class should help. This is the scientific division of society that Krsna advocates in the Bhagavad-gita (4.13): catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah. "According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me."

Animal Welfare Bill introduced, Act amended

Fri, 2009-02-20 06:07

By Janaka Perera

JHU (National Heritage Party) Parliamentarian Venerable Athuraliye Rathana placed the Animal Welfare Bill on the Order Paper of Sri Lanka's Parliament on Thursday February 19. The Bill provides the framework for the protection of animals from cruelty; to foster kindness, compassion and responsible behaviour towards these creatures and to establish a National Animal Welfare Authority; among other matters.

In another development the same day a significant amendment to the Animals Act, No 29 of 1958, was adopted in Parliament without a division. The Ministry of Livestock Development introduced this amendment by which the punishment for slaughtering cows and cow calves, including female Buffaloes and calves, has been increased from Rs. 250 to Rs. 50, 000 plus the imposition of three year sentence of imprisonment. Further any illegal use of a vehicle for transport of cows and female buffaloes for slaughter would result in the confiscation of both the animals and the vehicle.

The Animal Welfare Bill will now be referred to the respective Minister or to the Deputy Minister who is concerned with the subject of the Bill, for his report on the suitability of the proposed legislation. Upon the Minister's report being received (or if six months have elapsed from the date on which the Bill was referred to the Minister and no report has been made), the Bill will be tabled for the Second Reading. A Private Member's Bill can also be challenged in the Supreme Court regarding its Constitutionality within one week of it being placed on the Order Paper.

The Animal Welfare Bill has been long awaited particularly by the growing animal welfare lobby in Sri Lanka, as it seeks to replace the antiquated Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance enacted by the British colonial Government, 102 years ago, in 1907. Its inadequate penalties e.g. maximum fine of Rs. 100 (less than one US Dollar) for a heinous act of cruelty to an animal has removed the deterrent effect of this legislation, in the current context, leading to poor enforcement of the statute. It was also a national embarrassment to Sri Lanka seeking to establish modern standards in all aspects of governance by rule of law.

'Mahinda Chintanaya' which contains President Mahinda Rajapaksa's election manifesto and upon which he won the public mandate to govern carries a solemn pledge by him to reform animal welfare laws, introduce modern standards in respect to care and protection of animals from cruelty, and thereby lessen the pain of non - human sentient beings who cannot articulate their suffering.

The Animal Welfare Bill aims to accept greater state responsibility for animals. It seeks to provide for the protection of animals from cruelty, to foster kindness, compassion and responsible behavior towards animals in the community and to establish a National Animal Welfare Authority with wide powers to deal with matters relating to animal welfare.

Some important features of the Bill are the recognition of a duty of care towards animals, creation of new animal cruelty offences with stringent punishments, requiring permits to use live animals for scientific purposes and provision for the appointment of Animal Welfare Inspectors to strengthen the investigation and prosecution processes with powers also to give directions to those in charge of any animal to ensure the welfare of the animal by giving the required care and medical treatment.

If enacted, the Animal Welfare Bill can be expected to inspire and generate a chain reaction in other Asian countries, particularly in the SAARC and ASEAN regions, to update their legislation incorporating modern standards in the way we treat and co-exist with other living creatures.

It was Mahatma Gandhi who said that a nation's greatness and moral progress can be judged by the way it treats its animals.

The primary objectives of the Animal Welfare Bill are (a) Establishment of a separate National Animal Welfare Authority (b) Redefining the term 'animal' to include all animals, including strays (c) Inclusion of the clause 'Duty of Care,' which places an obligation on persons in charge of animals to see to the welfare of animals in their care (d) The appointment of animal welfare inspectors empowering them to take relevant action when necessary (e) Increase the maximum penalty for cruelty to animals to a Rupees hundred thousand maximum fine or three years in prison or both such fine and imprisonment (f) To introduce a statute to regulate the use of animals for scientific research (g) the right of any adult person (apart from the animal's owner) to intervene in court proceedings in the best interests of the animal, since under the present laws animals are treated as inanimate objects and (h) Banning home slaughter and permitting it only under supervised conditions in duly licensed slaughter houses.

The Authority will have Animal Welfare Inspectors working under it to enforce the law, under which anyone can lodge a complaint even against a neighbour if he or she cruelly treats an animal. The NAWA will be similar to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) of the United Kingdom.

According to Attorney at Law Senaka Weeraratna, who was a Legal Consultant to the Law Commission of Sri Lanka and was closely associated with the drafting of this Bill, currently Sri Lanka has perhaps the most antiquated legislation on animal welfare in the world. The governing statute is "The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance No.13 of 1907, which sets out various offences and penalties for mistreatment of animals. It was last amended in 1955 but is seldom enforced.

Under the current Sri Lankan law the maximum fine for cruelty to animals is a mere Rs.100, which was the same fine that was imposed in 1907! Although the prevailing law includes jail terms for such offenders, it is hardly enforced.

Former DIG (Crimes) H.M.G.B. Kotakadeniya has said that even a fine of Rs.100, 000 has little effect on those who make huge profits from animal slaughter. Stressing the need for jail terms, he attributed the total disregard for the law by those cruelly treating animals to the weakness of magistrates. Although the prevailing law too stipulated jail sentences to offenders, it has seldom or never been enforced, despite the judges being fully aware that a fine of Rs.100 was no punishment. He emphasized that judges had to be briefed on this.

One of the inherent jurisprudential difficulties in achieving justice for animals through legal proceedings, according to Senaka Weeraratna, is that the animal is treated as a 'chattel' or 'private property' rather than as a 'person' in the eyes of the law. Consequently, third parties endeavouring to assist animals as their `next friends' are denied standing in court to enforce animal rights. The party which has standing is the owner of the 'property' (i.e. the animal) and in most instances it is the very owner who is the cause of animal cruelty against whom a complaint is made. To such people cruelty to dumb creatures is a way of life.

Animal Rights activists have questioned the attitude of the law, which has developed a legal fiction to enable inanimate or artificial entities such as companies to be treated a 'person' in a court of law. But the same law has been reluctant to use the legal fact of visible and fully alive and moving animals for purpose of granting recognition to these living creatures as `persons' in legal proceedings. They lament that though Sri Lanka is supposed to be a predominantly Buddhist country, several non- Buddhist Western nations are far ahead of this island in enacting animal welfare legislation.

Weeraratna expresses regret that Sri Lanka's law societies including the Bar Association of Sri Lanka have so far failed to evince any real interest in animal welfare issues in comparison to law societies in the USA, England and Australia which have been taking an increasing interest in providing legislative protection to Animals. Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is the best known example.

India's leading animal rights campaigner Maneka Gandhi welcomed the European Commission's proposal for creating a special "animal welfare" label for meat and fish products so that it would put more responsibilities on companies to ensure that they are getting their supplies from approved sources. Maneka Gandhi's column on Animal Rights under the caption 'Right to Live' is published weekly in Sri Lankan newspaper The Island. It is a major source of reference on modern day practices and standards concerning the well - being of animals.

Weeraratna observes: "Sri Lanka has a proud heritage on animal welfare. It is a historical record that would attract the envy of the rest of the world, given the march of the animal rights movement today in many parts of the globe. We must reconnect ourselves to this heritage."

- Asian Tribune -