It is very disheartening to
hear that animals were butchered in the name of religious
devotion at the Atthippotta Mangotu Bhagavati Temple on 25th
April 2004 to mark the annual Temple Festival (Vela). An
otherwise saatvic, auspicious, immaculate occasion to shower
rare felicity on all, has thus passed off with sinful
blood-stains, bringing defamation both for the Hindu Society
and its Custodians, the Govt.
Reportedly the authorities
of both the Bhagavati Temple, Vela and Desha Committee Heads
as well as the Pujari Gangadharan Mannadiar have confirmed
(vide Malayala Manorama, Palakkad Edition of 25th April
2004, page 3) that the slaughter is in vogue.
Unlike in many other states,
Kerala’s legislation against animal sacrifice in Temples
dates back to over 50 years.
For upholding Hindu Dharma
and strengthening the Society, one can look only to the
Government. Our Temples come under the Devaswam Mininiser
and the Govt. controlled Devasvam Boards. Various enactments
incorporating timely elements in Hindu Dharma Practices are
effected by legislation, Central and State.
For instance:
Hindu Succession Act, Abolition of Child Marriage,
Permission of Widow Marriage, Legalizing abortion, otherwise
a great sin for Hindus, Abolition of Animal Slaughter in
Temples, Abolition of Sati and Sati Commemoration
Acts.
Hindu
Society has accepted all these from time to time, confirming
their trust on Government and its legislations. The legacy
has come from the time of Kings, who were, to the Hindus,
the heads of Dharma. Poojya Swamiji said,
"To
butcher an innocent animal in front of the all-merciful
God or Goddess and style it as devotion, hoodwinking the
gullible minds and terrorizing those who resist or
dissuade the move is too derogatory."
Poojya
Swamiji added, "we want Hindus to preserve their
Dharmic Status and Prestige by dispensing with this kind of
religious and devotional indulgences, which are verily
punishable crimes. Shrimad Bhagavatam, the most
authoritative Scripture on Devotion clearly tells:"
'The
Lord is pleased by pure devotion. All the rest is but
ostentation!'
"Seeing
God in every being, pleasing Him by giving each what it
likes most, is another Srimad Bhagavatam dictum."
"Instead
of feeding the animals with their choice food, if at all, to
cut their neck wickedly in the name of devotion is something
that no rational or dharmic human can tolerate, digest or
harmonize with."
The
next mass slaughter is slated for next Sunday (2nd May
2004).
(CLICK SECTION
HEADING BELOW FOR DETAILS)
-
Press
statement issued by Hind Navotthana Pratishtan on 25th
April 2004
