Source

CHENNAI, INDIA, April 2, 2004: The Madras High Court has ordered that cows donated to temples in Tamil Nadu by devotees which stop producing milk should not be sold or auctioned for any reason, but be sent to authorized or registered goshalas. The order was given by a Division Bench, comprising Justice R. Jaisimha Babu and Justice M. Karpagavinayagam, on a contempt petition filed by Jai Gopal Karodia Foundation against the state Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and a buyer of temple cows for violation of a 2001 High Court order pertaining to selling of such animals.



Cautioning the officials with the Department, the Judges said that before sending such cows to goshalas, officials managing temples should personally inspect the places and ensure that they are run by registered organizations, approved by the state or animal welfare board. The Bench also ordered the authorities concerned to inspect the goshalas once in two months to verify whether the cows were being taken care of properly. Also directing the state government to take an immediate census of cows, bulls and calves in temples, the Judges said after the census “dry” cows should be sent to goshalas.



The bench gave the directions following allegations that a temple had violated the court’s earlier order and sold 97 cows to an individual Raghavan, who had fraudulently claimed he was president of a religious trust, and sold the cows for slaughter. Raghavan and his assistant were arrested by the police.

Post Views: 633