Arshad Madani Suggests Cow As National Animal To Reduce Communal Tensions

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Syed Arshad Madani on Wednesday sparked a fresh political and social debate after suggesting that declaring the cow as India’s “national animal” could help reduce communal tensions and address what he described as rising hate crimes linked to cow-related incidents.

In a statement shared on social media platform X, Madani said it would be a “matter of delight” if the cow were given the status of a national animal. He argued that the symbolic move could help ease polarising politics around the animal, which he described as a recurring source of social and political conflict in parts of the country.

Madani said that violence and lynching incidents linked to cow protection have contributed to fear and insecurity within minority communities. He urged that such incidents, along with what he termed “hate politics,” must end permanently, stressing that no human life should be lost in the name of religious or ideological disputes.

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He also pointed to what he called inconsistencies in laws and enforcement across different states regarding beef consumption and cattle protection. According to him, such disparities have created uneven situations where practices differ widely from one region to another, leading to allegations of double standards in implementation.

The Jamiat chief further questioned what he described as contradictions in public positions taken by some political leaders, alleging that there are inconsistencies between stated positions on cow protection and personal conduct. He said such contradictions contribute to mistrust and further deepen divisions in society.

Madani, who also serves as Vice President of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), called for any law related to the issue to be applied uniformly across all states without discrimination. He reiterated that a consistent national framework, in his view, could help reduce tensions and bring a more permanent resolution to disputes surrounding the cow.

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