The BJP government in Maharashtra has banned beef consumption. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh says that his government intends to legislate ban on cow slaughter all over the nation... so that no one in India can eat beef. This cow slaughter ban has been a consistent demand of the saffron brigade for years. And now with BJP government in power in Centre as well as different states, the wishes of the saffron brigade will ever come true! Question is: Is it alright for the government to dictate to the citizens what they can eat and what they cannot eat?
India is not a theocratic state; it is a secular state. It respects people of all religious persuasions. Given this affirmation, to impose the religious belief on one particular community upon another is not right. Religious chauvinism goes against the ethos of the Constitution of India. To privately believe that one's religion is as good as another religion or even better is fine; but for the government to insist and then impose that one religion or its practice is better than others is definitely wrong. And in imposing beef ban, BJP is doing what is wrong.
But what about imposing a ban by the government on alcohol -- making a state a dry state? Imposing a ban on alcohol is different from imposing a ban on beef eating. The reason for alcohol ban is because of the social cost that alcohol elicits. For example, drunken driving, wife beating, liver damage etc are some of the effects of alcohol consumption in many societies. Certain religion may say that alcohol consumption should be avoided. But when the government imposes a ban on alcohol, it is not because religion A says such and such against alcohol; it is because of the kind of damage that alcohol brings about to a society for which alcohol consumption is banned. Beef eating does not cause such kind of social damage. Of course, excessive eating of beef can cause health problem. But too much of mutton or pork too can cause health problem. Too much of all kinds of things can cause problem for that matter. But the BJP government imposing a ban on beef eating is just because it wishes to impose its religious belief upon all the citizens. This is nothing but damaging the secular fabric of India, working against the Constitutional ethos of the state. Those who believe in religious freedom must protest against such policy of BJP.
But what about imposing a ban by the government on alcohol -- making a state a dry state? Imposing a ban on alcohol is different from imposing a ban on beef eating. The reason for alcohol ban is because of the social cost that alcohol elicits. For example, drunken driving, wife beating, liver damage etc are some of the effects of alcohol consumption in many societies. Certain religion may say that alcohol consumption should be avoided. But when the government imposes a ban on alcohol, it is not because religion A says such and such against alcohol; it is because of the kind of damage that alcohol brings about to a society for which alcohol consumption is banned. Beef eating does not cause such kind of social damage. Of course, excessive eating of beef can cause health problem. But too much of mutton or pork too can cause health problem. Too much of all kinds of things can cause problem for that matter. But the BJP government imposing a ban on beef eating is just because it wishes to impose its religious belief upon all the citizens. This is nothing but damaging the secular fabric of India, working against the Constitutional ethos of the state. Those who believe in religious freedom must protest against such policy of BJP.
