Guwahati: As the Eid al-Adha is approaching (9 to 12 July 2022), the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a statutory body of the Union government in New Delhi has issued a new advisory to all States and union territories urging authorities to stop the illegal treatment of animals during the religious festival.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, which had sent an appeal to AWBI on the matter, stated that all religions call for compassion and hence adherence to animal protection laws is everyone’s civic duty. PETA India, whose motto reads that animals are not ours to eat, asks that all celebrations be held in ways that are kind to animals.
“Many Muslim PETA India supporters, like me, observe Eid by distributing money, clothing, or vegan food or in other ways that don’t involve animal sacrifice,” said PETA India advocacy associate Farhat Ul Ain. Many vegan and vegetarian Muslims observe Eid al-Adha in kinder ways by committing to help the less fortunate, including animals.
The AWBI advisory states that the 1978 transport animals rules, which prescribes the number of animals who can be transported in a vehicle but are often violated. The advisory also refers to the 2001 prevention of cruelty to animals (slaughter house) rules, which states that no person shall slaughter any animal within a municipal area except in a slaughterhouse recognized or licensed by the concerned authority empowered under the law for the time being in force to do so.
Further, it says that camels are not permitted to be killed under the food safety and standards authority of the country’s regulation. The circular refers to the 2014 judgment of the Supreme Court that directed all the agencies and instrumentalities of the State, including law enforcement authorities, to uphold animal protection laws. The AWBI’s 30 May 2022 advisory also urged the State governments to pursue slaughterhouses and meat shops.
PETA India has also appealed to the animal husbandry ministry for the deletion of section 28 of the 1960 prevention of cruelty to animals act. The particular section says that animals killed for sacrifice, also often eaten, are denied the basic legislative protections other animals used for food are offered. Nothing contained in this act shall render it an offence to kill any animal in a manner required by the religion of any community, asserted the organisation.
