By Benishan
These non-person citizens or the animals are the forgotten citizens of India who suffer atrocities and pain that may be termed as inhuman. These animals have been given protection under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 but the provisions are on paper with minimal implementation. Despite the presence of animal rights bodies like PETA, Animal Welfare Board of India etc. the nothing concrete have been achieved as majority of the offences in the law are non-cognizable i.e. police cannot arrest the person and the amount of fine in the extreme situation is of Rs. 1000/- while majority of the offences has a fine of Rs. 200/- or less.
The level of atrocities that these animals bear is unimaginable. Milch animals are injected with drugs to increase their yield. These cattle face repeated cycle of impregnation through artificial insemination, separation, painful milking, oxytocin shots and mastitis. Following separation, the calves are mainly fed on milk substitutes and are allowed only limited suckling. Imagine a child being separated from mother and getting denied of the care and love. This is against the law of nature too.
Talking of law of nature, the events of unnatural sex with animals are ever increasing. A 55-year-old man was arrested in Delhi having unnatural sex with stray dog while a man was booked in Pune for the same offence. In Uttar Pradesh, a 25-year-old youth was booked for raping a seven-month-old cow while in Tamil Nadu a 55 year old man was arrested for sex with an injured cow using coconut oil as a lubricant.
These sufferings are not limited to only these activities. Torturing animals for fun is very common site especially during festivals, crackers are tied on tail or around neck of dogs, colours being applied despite of irritation it causes, animal fights being organised after intoxicating them and the list goes on.
These events talk about the mentality of the ‘person citizens’ towards the ‘non-person citizens’. There is immense insensitivity that is prevalent amongst the people. This insensitivity or rather cruelty towards animals has manifold implications. Robert K Ressler, who developed profiles of serial killers for the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), states, “Murderers … very often start out by killing and torturing animals as kids”. Studies have now convinced sociologists, lawmakers and the courts that acts of cruelty to animals deserve our attention. They can be the first sign of a dangerous pathology that threatens humans as well.
Under the PCA Act, 1960, neglecting an animal by denying her sufficient food, water, shelter and exercise or by keeping him chained/confined for long hours is punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to 3 months or both. In a way even the government has failed to comply with the law as stray animals are actually denied of sufficient food, shelter etc. and authorities are in no urgency to do anything about it. But one cannot put the onus on government it is responsibility and duty of the society and individual too. According to Article 51A (g), it is the fundamental duty of every citizen of India to have compassion for all living creatures.
It is not only the advancement in science and technology, economic growth or exploring new dimensions of life that makes us the most developed species i.e. human. Compassion, kindness and sensitivity constitute the greater part of being human. We take pride in the vast number of animals that are found only in India but at the same time we fail to take care of the one present around us. Indeed there is a need of stricter law and better compliance of it but are we becoming so inhumane that it takes a law to force us to feel and do something for a fellow creature? This is a question that everyone should ask to oneself.
Our constitution recognizes and
provides us the Fundamental Rights viz. Right
to equality, Right to freedom,
Right against exploitation, Right to freedom of religion, Cultural and Educational rights, Right
to constitutional remedies and Right to education. These rights aim
to provide civil liberties such that all Indians can lead their lives in peace and
harmony as Indian citizens and the same constitution broadly defines citizen
as a legally recognized subject or national of India. This recognition has been
given to ‘person’ and rightly so, but in this process, we as a system have
failed to take the ‘non-person citizens’ or the animals into consideration.
These non-person citizens or the animals are the forgotten citizens of India who suffer atrocities and pain that may be termed as inhuman. These animals have been given protection under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 but the provisions are on paper with minimal implementation. Despite the presence of animal rights bodies like PETA, Animal Welfare Board of India etc. the nothing concrete have been achieved as majority of the offences in the law are non-cognizable i.e. police cannot arrest the person and the amount of fine in the extreme situation is of Rs. 1000/- while majority of the offences has a fine of Rs. 200/- or less.
The level of atrocities that these animals bear is unimaginable. Milch animals are injected with drugs to increase their yield. These cattle face repeated cycle of impregnation through artificial insemination, separation, painful milking, oxytocin shots and mastitis. Following separation, the calves are mainly fed on milk substitutes and are allowed only limited suckling. Imagine a child being separated from mother and getting denied of the care and love. This is against the law of nature too.
Talking of law of nature, the events of unnatural sex with animals are ever increasing. A 55-year-old man was arrested in Delhi having unnatural sex with stray dog while a man was booked in Pune for the same offence. In Uttar Pradesh, a 25-year-old youth was booked for raping a seven-month-old cow while in Tamil Nadu a 55 year old man was arrested for sex with an injured cow using coconut oil as a lubricant.
These sufferings are not limited to only these activities. Torturing animals for fun is very common site especially during festivals, crackers are tied on tail or around neck of dogs, colours being applied despite of irritation it causes, animal fights being organised after intoxicating them and the list goes on.
These events talk about the mentality of the ‘person citizens’ towards the ‘non-person citizens’. There is immense insensitivity that is prevalent amongst the people. This insensitivity or rather cruelty towards animals has manifold implications. Robert K Ressler, who developed profiles of serial killers for the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), states, “Murderers … very often start out by killing and torturing animals as kids”. Studies have now convinced sociologists, lawmakers and the courts that acts of cruelty to animals deserve our attention. They can be the first sign of a dangerous pathology that threatens humans as well.
Under the PCA Act, 1960, neglecting an animal by denying her sufficient food, water, shelter and exercise or by keeping him chained/confined for long hours is punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to 3 months or both. In a way even the government has failed to comply with the law as stray animals are actually denied of sufficient food, shelter etc. and authorities are in no urgency to do anything about it. But one cannot put the onus on government it is responsibility and duty of the society and individual too. According to Article 51A (g), it is the fundamental duty of every citizen of India to have compassion for all living creatures.
It is not only the advancement in science and technology, economic growth or exploring new dimensions of life that makes us the most developed species i.e. human. Compassion, kindness and sensitivity constitute the greater part of being human. We take pride in the vast number of animals that are found only in India but at the same time we fail to take care of the one present around us. Indeed there is a need of stricter law and better compliance of it but are we becoming so inhumane that it takes a law to force us to feel and do something for a fellow creature? This is a question that everyone should ask to oneself.
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