Cow protection movement

The cow protection movement is a predominantly Indian religious and political movement aiming to protect cows, whose slaughter has been broadly opposed by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Zoroastrians and Sikhs.^[1]^[2]^[3] While the opposition to slaughter of animals, including cows, has extensive and ancient roots in Indian history, the term refers to modern movements dating back to colonial era British India.^[4] The earliest such activism is traceable to Namdhari (Kooka) Sikhs of Punjab who opposed cow slaughter in the 1860s.^[5]^[6] The movement became popular in the 1880s and thereafter, attracting the support from the Arya Samaj founder Swami Dayananda Saraswati in the late 19th century,^[7] and from Mahatma Gandhi in the early 20th century.^[8]

The cow protection movement gained broad support among the followers of Indian religions, particularly Hindus, but it was broadly opposed by Muslims. Numerous cow protection-related riots broke out in the 1880s and 1890s in British India. The 1893 and 1894 cow killing riots started on the day of Eid-ul-Adha, a Muslim festival where animal sacrifices are a part of the celebration. Cow protection movement and related violence has been one of the sources of religious conflicts in India. Historical records suggest that both Hindus and Muslims have respectively viewed "cow protection" and "cow slaughter" as a religious freedom.^[9]

The cow protection movement is most connected with India, but has been active since colonial times in predominantly Buddhist countries such as Sri Lanka and Myanmar.^[10]^[11]^[12] Sri Lanka is the first country in South Asia to wholly legislate on harm inflicted against cattle. Sri Lanka currently bans the sale of cattle for meat throughout all of the island, following a legislative measure that united the two main ethnic groups on the island (Tamils and Sinhalese),^[13] whereas legislation against cattle slaughter is in place throughout most states of India except Kerala, West Bengal, and parts of the North-East.^[14]

^ Lisa Kemmerer (2011). Animals and World Religions. Oxford University Press. pp. 58–65, 100–101, 110. ISBN 978-0-19-979076-0.
^ Clive Phillips (2008). The Welfare of Animals: The Silent Majority. Springer. pp. 98–103. ISBN 978-1-4020-9219-0.
^ [a] Robert J. Muckle; Laura Tubelle de González (2015). Through the Lens of Anthropology: An Introduction to Human Evolution and Culture. University of Toronto Press. pp. 299–300. ISBN 978-1-4426-0863-4.; [b] Eliasi, Jennifer R.; Dwyer, Johanna T. (2002). "Kosher and Halal". Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 102 (7). Elsevier BV: 911–913. doi:10.1016/s0002-8223(02)90203-8. PMID 12146548.; [c] Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair (2013). Sikhism: A Guide for the Perplexed. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 171–172. ISBN 978-1-4411-0231-7.
^ Religious Nationalism, Hindus and Muslims in India, Peter van der Veer, pp. 83-94, ISBN 0-520-08256-7.
^ Barbara D. Metcalf; Thomas R. Metcalf (2012). A Concise History of Modern India. Cambridge University Press. pp. 152–153. ISBN 978-1-139-53705-6.
^ Cite error: The named reference Veer1994p90 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ From Plassey to Partition, a History of modern India, Śekhara Bandyopādhyāẏa, p. 240, ISBN 81-250-2596-0.
^ Cite error: The named reference gandhi115 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Shabnum Tejani (2008). Indian Secularism: A Social and Intellectual History, 1890-1950. Indiana University Press. pp. 43–49. ISBN 978-0-253-22044-8.
^ Cite error: The named reference stewart11 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Erik Braun (2013). The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism, and the Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw. University of Chicago Press. pp. 35–36. ISBN 978-0-226-00094-7.
^ Matthew J. Walton (2016). Buddhism, Politics and Political Thought in Myanmar. Cambridge University Press. pp. 35, 92. ISBN 978-1-107-15569-5.
^ LTD, Lankacom PVT. "The Island". www.island.lk. Archived from the original on 2018-08-24. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
^ "The states where cow slaughter is legal in India". The Indian Express. 2015-10-08. Retrieved 2018-08-24.

[1] Lisa Kemmerer (2011). Animals and World Religions. Oxford University Press. pp. 58–65, 100–101, 110. ISBN 978-0-19-979076-0.

[2] Clive Phillips (2008). The Welfare of Animals: The Silent Majority. Springer. pp. 98–103. ISBN 978-1-4020-9219-0.

[3] [a] Robert J. Muckle; Laura Tubelle de González (2015). Through the Lens of Anthropology: An Introduction to Human Evolution and Culture. University of Toronto Press. pp. 299–300. ISBN 978-1-4426-0863-4.; [b] Eliasi, Jennifer R.; Dwyer, Johanna T. (2002). "Kosher and Halal". Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 102 (7). Elsevier BV: 911–913. doi:10.1016/s0002-8223(02)90203-8. PMID 12146548.; [c] Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair (2013). Sikhism: A Guide for the Perplexed. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 171–172. ISBN 978-1-4411-0231-7.

[4] Religious Nationalism, Hindus and Muslims in India, Peter van der Veer, pp. 83-94, ISBN 0-520-08256-7.

[metcalf152-5] Barbara D. Metcalf; Thomas R. Metcalf (2012). A Concise History of Modern India. Cambridge University Press. pp. 152–153. ISBN 978-1-139-53705-6.

[Veer1994p90-6] Cite error: The named reference Veer1994p90 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Partition_p._240-7] From Plassey to Partition, a History of modern India, Śekhara Bandyopādhyāẏa, p. 240, ISBN 81-250-2596-0.

[gandhi115-8] Cite error: The named reference gandhi115 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Tejani2008p49-9] Shabnum Tejani (2008). Indian Secularism: A Social and Intellectual History, 1890-1950. Indiana University Press. pp. 43–49. ISBN 978-0-253-22044-8.

[stewart11-10] Cite error: The named reference stewart11 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[11] Erik Braun (2013). The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism, and the Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw. University of Chicago Press. pp. 35–36. ISBN 978-0-226-00094-7.

[Matthew_J._Walton_2016_35,_92-12] Matthew J. Walton (2016). Buddhism, Politics and Political Thought in Myanmar. Cambridge University Press. pp. 35, 92. ISBN 978-1-107-15569-5.

[13] LTD, Lankacom PVT. "The Island". www.island.lk. Archived from the original on 2018-08-24. Retrieved 2018-08-24.

[14] "The states where cow slaughter is legal in India". The Indian Express. 2015-10-08. Retrieved 2018-08-24.

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