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WORLD  Cruelty Against The Cows In India BY DR. RAJENDRA MISHRA INDIA, Jun 27 (VNN) — Animal rights group to target Indian meat export An international animal rights group campaigning against the use of leather exports from India said it would shift its protests to target meat exports from the country. The U.S.-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said it would its planned protest against Indian embassies following the government's decision to crack down on cruelty to animals. "PETA's campaign will shift its focus to countries importing unclean and cruelly produced meat form India," it added. Earlier this month, India's commerce and industry ministry said the state's governments had been urged to set-up panels to enforce the Prevention of Cruelties to Animal Act in 1960. India's action followed protest from activist, included ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, and campaigns PETA which said it had persuaded five big global retailers to stop using leather from India. PETA said it had begun a series of meetings with diplomatic envoys of countries buying halal meat from meat in India in an effort to dissuade them from buying what they said was a falsely labeled product since it was not slaughtered humanely and in the ritual Islamic manner. "Much of the meat coming from India can in no way be considered halal, not only because of the clumsy slaughter with blunt knives, but also because of the cruelties leading up to the slaughter of the cattle." Indian cattle meat exports are estimated to total up to 175,000 tons annually, and are valued at about 7.29 billion Rupees (1.63 million). PETA, which estimates that around 13 million cows are slaughtered in India every year for beef and hide, say that the animal faced cruel treatment in the country despite their sacred status in Hinduism. Cows are sacred to Hindus, who make up roughly 80% of India's population of 1 billion and their slaughter is banned in all but two of India's 26 states. Yours truly, Dr. Rajendra Mishra  Comment on this storyContact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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