‘Ban animal slaughter’

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The Kerala Branch of the Indian Vegetarian Congress and the Kerala Animal Lovers’ Association have submitted a memorandum to the President of India against slaughter of animals for food.

 The memorandum has raised 15 specific demands, including a total ban on establishment and upkeep of slaughter houses in the country, prohibition of export of meat and skin and import of cattle for slaughter, banning by law the slaughter of animals as offerings in religious places, abolishment of zoos and snake parks, denial of permission to establish non-vegetarian/bar hotels throughout India and a ban on serving non-vegetarian food, including fish and eggs, at state functions and trains, airplanes and residences of all state functionaries.

 Further, they have demanded that doctors advising on non-vegetarian diet for patients should be boycotted. ‘’Non-vegetarianism should be projected as a health hazard,’’ the memorandum stated. Besides, they want the tiger to be replaced with the cow as the national animal and the dove declared as the national bird.

 The organisations have also criticised the State Government for taking pride in distributing eggs to schoolchildren ignoring the health hazards involved. They also want the Government to declare meat-eating as a criminal offence punishable under law throughout the country and to propagate advantages of vegetarianism in promoting world health and world peace.

trivandrum@expressbuzz.com