This blog reflects my personal thoughts and understanding of the world and is not intended to disrespect or offend anyone. The content may be challenging or provocative for some readers. Please approach this blog with an open mind, as it addresses politically incorrect topics and presents ideas that are straightforward, rather than sugar-coated to appease any particular group or individual.
I’ve recently written two blogs about cows and watched several videos on their current situation. Each video came from different YouTube channels, offering various perspectives.
One video featured a podcast guest who criticized the Indian Central Government’s cow protection policies. The guest argued that the government’s focus on saving cows is harming farmers. By preventing farmers from selling old cows or male calves, the policy, in his view, disrupts farmers’ livelihoods and contributes to the suffering of the cows.
Another video came from an animal rights activist who passionately criticized the dairy industry, blaming it for the poor condition of cows. He urged viewers to stop buying dairy products or at least reduce their consumption to help improve the situation for cows.
A different YouTuber with a more balanced viewpoint also highlighted issues within the dairy industry, suggesting that reducing the demand for milk could help alleviate the problems faced by cows.
I also watched a video from a Kerala-born so-called vegan activist, Arvind, who criticized both the central government and the scapegoating of Muslims for eating beef. He argued that banning cow slaughter is merely a political move and doesn’t address the real issues. In his video he also argued that when Muslims slaughter a 500 kg animal (cow) and break it down into smaller pieces for consumption, they are actually helping nature and the cows by killing them.
Overall, these videos often focus on criticizing the dairy industry, but they frequently overlook other factors, such as the role of slaughterhouses and the demand for beef and leather. The discussion tends to center on dairy without fully addressing all the factors contributing to the suffering of cows.
Reflecting on the Real Issues
After watching these videos, I initially agreed with many of the points raised. However, upon further reflection, I realized there are deeper, more complex issues at play, and I began thinking about how we can truly improve the situation for cows and other animals in India.
The Limitations of Government Action
In India, even visionary leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee have faced electoral defeat due to short-term issues, such as rising onion prices, highlighting a common trend: Indian voters often prioritize immediate gains over long-term vision. Many cast their votes based on religion, caste, or language rather than development or long-term goals. Because voters tend to behave this way, politicians often resort to age-old tactics of fear-mongering—whether based on religion, caste, or language—and they frequently succeed. This is why I don’t particularly like politics or democracy, because it is a lost cause.
Many are swayed by material incentives—whether it’s cash, alcohol, or other benefits—offered by political parties. For example, Congress in the past and AAP today have capitalized on this with tactics like “free alcohol distribution to voters” or “buy one get one free” deals on alcohol during elections. This shows that for many, broader concerns like civilization, equality, economy, or development are secondary to immediate pleasures or short-term benefits.
Governments, aware of this dynamic, are cautious in making decisions that could disrupt industries or cause economic turmoil. Such actions could empower their political opponents and jeopardize their future electoral prospects. This is why the current Indian government sometimes adopts contradictory policies, like permitting alcohol, cigarettes, and cattle slaughter, despite these actions conflicting with their core ideologies. The fear of economic backlash, protests, reduced tax revenue, global criticism, and potential electoral loss often deters them from taking bold, radical actions.
Solutions for Improving the Condition of Cows and Other Animals
1. Decrease Demand for Leather Products and Non-Veg Food:
The meat and leather industries are major contributors to animal suffering worldwide. Despite the availability of numerous tasty and healthy food alternatives, some still view animals solely as sources for food and fabric—an outdated mindset. In India, the meat market has reached a point where even pigeons, crows, dogs, and cats are being killed and sold as chicken or mutton.
To address this, governments, companies, influencers, and spiritual organizations should collaborate to reduce the demand for meat and leather products. Lower demand will lead to decreased profitability for these industries, which may discourage unethical practices and ultimately help save the lives of not just cows and buffaloes, but also chickens, goats, and other animals.
Currently, the opposite is happening because some progressive and left-leaning political parties in India oppose this core Hindu philosophy. Influencers may promote meat, either intentionally or unintentionally, viewing it as trendy, much like smoking or drinking. Additionally, the lack of prominent voices advocating for animal rights contributes to the continued production of leather products and the promotion of meat in advertisements, such as the Zomato Biryani ad.
2. Introduce a Cruelty Tax:
A ‘cruelty tax’ could be introduced to discourage companies from selling unethical animal products, such as non-vegetarian food, dairy, or leather. This tax could start at 25% and gradually increase each year, depending on the demand for these products compared to the previous year.
The tax rates could vary based on the level of cruelty: for example, unethical breeding for milk or wool production might incur a tax of 15-20%, while meat and leather could be taxed at 100-200% of their actual value.
The goal of this tax is to make these products increasingly unaffordable or less desirable, ultimately reducing demand. It should be introduced systematically and carefully to avoid sudden economic shocks, ensuring a smooth transition as consumer preferences shift. The revenue collected from this tax could be used by the government for animal welfare activities, improving the lives of all animals—not just cows and buffaloes, but also wild animals.
3. Ethical Markers on Products:
Consumers often base their purchasing decisions on labels that show price and ingredients. In addition to the current Veg, Non-Veg, and Egg markers, the government and companies should introduce five more labels: Vegan, Organic, Non-Organic, Ethical, and Unethical. These labels should be applied to products, especially dairy, to indicate the treatment of animals involved in their production.
For dairy products, an ‘Ethical’ label should signify no harm to the animals, proper nourishment, no abandonment, care for the animals in their old age, and no artificial or forced pregnancies. These labels would help consumers make informed choices based on the ethical treatment of animals, encouraging a shift towards more humane practices.
4. Ban Slaughtering of Cattle:
When slaughtering is allowed in certain areas, it creates a system that encourages the killing of animals, whether legally or illegally. As a result, cows are often smuggled by mafias and slaughtered in states with anti-Hindu or anti-Indic governments, such as West Bengal or Kerala. To address this issue, we need to ban not just cow slaughter but also the slaughter of other cattle by implementing a comprehensive law. However, this will only be effective if other points mentioned in this blog are correctly addressed.
5. Creation of a Dharmic Body:
We need to establish a Dharmic organization that unites all Dharmic cultures under one roof with a singular mission: to preserve and protect Dharmic traditions both within and outside India. This organization would oversee the management of most temples, directly or indirectly, and take a leading role in safeguarding the lives of various animals, including cows, as it is a core Dharmic duty to avoid harming animals for food.
Additionally, this powerful organization would significantly influence public behavior, promoting ethical animal husbandry practices and ensuring that animal products, especially milk, are produced ethically. It would also provide care for cows and other animals once they stop producing milk and grow old, and encourage farmers to adopt humane practices.
6. Create Gaushalas and Jeevshals Across India:
To truly save the lives of abandoned animals, a comprehensive and widespread effort is essential. Each year, millions of cows and other animals are either abandoned or sold to slaughterhouses, either directly or indirectly. Addressing this crisis requires more than just a few hundred gaushalas or animal care centers; we need thousands of these centers spread across India, with multiple facilities in key areas.
For instance, if 2 to 4 crore animals are abandoned annually and a typical care center can house 500 cows, we would need approximately 40,000 to 80,000 centers nationwide to accommodate and care for these animals effectively. This extensive infrastructure is vital to provide the necessary care and protection.
In addition to gaushalas, we should establish ‘jeevshals’—care centers for various types of animals that have retired or grown old. These centers must be equipped with ample space, shade, nutritious food, and other essential facilities to ensure the animals live comfortably. It is crucial that these centers provide an environment where animals can enjoy their remaining years in happiness and dignity, rather than being confined in unsuitable conditions.
7. Reducing Milk Demand for Ethical Sustainability:
Simply creating a Dharmic body, establishing care centers, reducing leather and meat demand, or banning cow slaughter will not fully address the issue if we do not also control the demand for milk. If demand remains high, people and companies will continue to push for more milk production to meet their needs for daily tea, breakfast, and snacks. This could lead to a divided society—one side ignoring animal rights and ethical practices, while the other side advocates for them. This division is not the outcome we seek.
Instead, we should aim for a society where everyone considers animal rights and is willing to make necessary lifestyle changes. While this may initially impact businesses, they will recover after the adjustment period. Therefore, it is crucial for the government, companies, doctors, and celebrities to inform the public that consuming milk or milk products, such as ice cream, pizza, or milk tea, should be limited to ⅓ of their current consumption. By creating a more reasonable demand for milk, we can reduce the pressure on dairy production, prevent the exploitation of cows, and ensure that care centers can operate effectively without being overwhelmed.
8. Finding New Ways to Utilize Cattle:
I recently watched a science show where the host introduced an exercise to boost creativity and intelligence: take a common object and think of multiple unconventional uses for it. For example, a piece of paper could be folded into a hat or fashioned into a makeshift baton. This exercise sparked an idea—what if we applied the same creativity to finding ethical and profitable uses for cattle and domesticated animals, beyond the traditional and inhumane practices like slaughtering them for meat or leather?
For instance, providing cattle with the right mix of fodder could produce high-quality dung, which can be turned into superior manure compared to synthetic alternatives. This dung could also be used to generate biogas, offering a renewable energy source. Additionally, male cattle could power machinery, similar to how they were used in the past for tasks like oil extraction.
We could even revisit the idea of using bullocks for transportation in towns and villages, modernizing it to ensure comfort for both passengers and animals. These are just a few ideas, but the possibilities are endless. With innovative thinking, scientists, successful entrepreneurs, or animal lovers could develop even better solutions that help save lives and prevent inhumane treatment of these animals.
Message to Organizations Like ISKCON
Dear ISKCON and Other Hindu Organizations,
Daily, I see stray cows on roads in various locations. While you often emphasize that cows are dear to Krishna and Shiva, genuine respect for these animals requires more than the current efforts you and other organizations are putting forth. It demands enduring and tangible actions that enhance the lives of both male and female cows, as well as other animals.
Cows hold a special place in our culture and religion, but it is essential for organizations like yours to implement the solutions outlined in this blog. Although these ideas may not be entirely new, if executed effectively, they could lead to significant positive changes within a few years.
If you are committed to making a meaningful impact, I would be eager to contribute both intellectually and as a volunteer to this noble cause. This message is not only for ISKCON but also for all Hindu and animal rights organizations dedicated to improving the welfare of all animals.
Let us focus on constructive, long-lasting, and effective solutions rather than merely opening a few gaushalas or animal centers that may not provide adequate comfort for the animals or resorting to vigilantism once these innocent animals are already in the clutches of slaughterhouse mafias.
Conclusion
You might wonder why our focus is on banning cattle slaughter, promoting vegetarianism, and selective veganism, rather than advocating for full-fledged veganism. After all, the complete elimination of milk consumption could indeed halt related practices such as the leather and meat industries, addressing multiple sources of animal suffering simultaneously.
This perspective aligns with arguments presented by several YouTubers whose videos I’ve reviewed. They advocate for stopping milk consumption and avoiding milk-based products as a way to save animal lives and end the cycle of cruelty. These YouTubers also make a case for the slaughter of animals, suggesting it offers them quick ‘mukti’ (liberation) from their current suffering, which reveals the underlying purpose of their content and hints at their broader ideological stance.
We often treat animals based on how they are perceived or labeled—dogs as pets, cats as cute companions, cows as milk producers, goats as meat sources, etc. These labels influence our treatment of animals, often ignoring the fact that they all have similar physical characteristics, including organs, brains, and the ability to feel pain and fear. By reassessing our approach and exploring creative, ethical alternatives, we can create a more compassionate world for all living beings.
Simply renaming our species from Mankind to Humankind won’t make a difference unless we take meaningful actions to improve the lives of all the beings sharing this planet with us. Let’s spread this message and take action to help animals of all kinds in whatever ways we can.
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