Cow worship by Panthers Party to protest bovine killing

Jammu: Activists of Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party today carried out cow worship ritual at famous Raghunath Temple here as a protest against bovine slaughter in Kashmir Valley despite High Court ordering implementation of ban on sale of beef.

Over 150 activists of the party led by its chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh assembled proceeded to the temple with a cow and worshipped it there.

The protestors raised the slogans demanding end to cow slaughter in Kashmir, action against those indulging in it and implementation of the ban.
Later, the protestors took out a procession which passed through several markets and lanes of old city areas.

Harsh Dev Singh, while condemning bovine slaughter in Kashmir, said the recent High Court order on a PIL was reiteration of the provisions of Section 298-A of the Ranbir Penal Code(RPC).

He noted that Section 298-A of the RPC states that the intentional killing or slaughtering a cow or similar animal is a cognizable, non- bailable offence punishable with 10 years imprisonment and fine while, section 298-B states that possessing the flesh of such an animal is a cognizable, non bailable offence punishable with imprisonment of one year and a fine.

He also attacked ruling BJP, saying it had "surrendered" on this issue and become a "mute spectator on the sacrilegious slaughters".

Singh flayed the "provocative" videos on cow slaughter being circulated on social media by the "anti?national elements like separatist Asiya Andrabi for fanning the communal passions and spewing venom".

He demanded immediate arrest of the separatist leaders for rabble rousing and disparaging the Indian law.