Official iftars in Gujarat an all-veg affair

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-15/ahmedabad/33216269_1_iftar-jain-monk-vegetarian-outlet

AHMEDABAD: This happens only in Gujarat! Emperor Akbar turned a vegetarian here. Pizza Hut opened its first vegetarian outlet in Ahmedabad. And, now the US consul general hosted an iftar sans non-veg food.

The blend between Jainism and Islam is not just limited to architecture in Gujarat , it manifests itself in the way of life here. When US consul general Peter D Haas hosted an iftar on Monday — the first ever outside Mumbai — to promote interfaith interactions , the menu provided some food for thought. The guests broke their fast with the traditional sherbet-e-iftar and dates, but the main course was not mutton kababs and chicken curry, it was potato and paneer sabzi.

Despite being in Sadbhavana mode, the Narendra Modi government doesn't host iftars , but many former chief ministers like Madhavsinh Solanki, Amarsinh Chaudhary and Chimanbhai Patel — all non-BJP CMs — regularly played host during Ramzan. Each one of them kept in mind local sensitivities and stuck to a vegetarian course.

When BJP came to power in 1995, the then CM Keshubhai Patel was in two minds about hosting iftar lest he invite the ire of Sangh Parivar hardliners. But, former prime minister A B Vajpayee asserted that Keshubhai host iftar. He played host twice — but avoided non-vegetarian food. The Raj Bhavan, which has a tradition of hosting iftars , too sticks to a 100% veg menu. Observers say it is the strong Jain-Vaishnav ethos in the state which everyone — be it politicians or businessmen — respects, even while reaching out to other communities . 

Some years ago when Pizza Hut did a market survey in Ahmedabad before opening its first outlet in Gujarat , it was surprised by the overwhelming response for a vegetarian outlet. An Ahmedabad-based hotel and restaurant chain opened a 5-star pure vegetarian hotel in Surat . 

Akbar, who had great respect for Jainism, had banned slaughtering animals during Paryushan, the Jain festival. He even rolled back the Jazia tax from Jain pilgrim places like Palitana. Akbar had received a delegation led by a Jain monk who walked to Fatehpur Sikri and persuaded the emperor to forbid the slaughter of animals for six months in Gujarat.

Indian state sets up law to protect cow

http://www.mysinchew.com/node/64406

NEW DELHI, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- The western Indian state of Gujarat legislative assembly has unanimously cleared a bill to control the transportation of cattle within the state and outside to protect the cow, a holy animal in Hindu religion, says China's Xinhua news agency citing a report in The Times of India Thursday.

The Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2011, specifically prevents the transportation of cow, the calf of a cow, a bull or a bullock.

The bill makes it obligatory for anyone wanting to transport the animal to obtain a permit from a new authority to be set up. The transporter will have to show that he is ferrying bovines only for agricultural or animal husbandry purpose.

States agriculture minister Dileep Sanghani said Wednesday that anyone violating the proposed law will not only face seizure of the animals and vehicles in which they are sought to be transported, but also up to seven-year imprisonment and a fine up to 50,000 rupees (US$1,000).

Now 7 years jail term for cow slaughter in Gujarat

http://news24online.com/Now-7-years-jail-term-for-cow-slaughter-in-Gujarat_News24_34317.aspx

Ahmadabad: Those who will involve in cow slaughter in Gujarat have to pay very heavy price. The state government has enacted an extremely tough measures to deal with all those involve in cow slaughter. The state assembly passed a bill in this regard on Tuesday.

According to the provisions of the bill,anybody taking cow for the purpose of slaughter would face seven years jail term.

While presenting the Gujarat Animal preservation Bill 2011,the state agricultural minister Dilip Sanghani said that the new bill will give ample teeth to law agencies to deal sternly with those who kill cow. The bill was even supported by the congress.

2 more bills passed, Gujarat Assembly session ends

http://www.blogger.com/goog_930543102

The two-day monsoon session of the state assembly concluded on Tuesday with the passing of two bills — the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2011, and the Bombay Inams (Kutch Area) Abolition (Repeal) Bill, 2011.

The session started at 8.30am and continued till 3pm. However, it was not that lively as it was on Monday. There were not many exciting questions asked and Congress MLAs didn't seem to be in mood to create any storm. Agriculture and animal husbandry minister Dileep Sanghani presented the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2011 in the House.

After discussion, the bill was passed unanimously. Leader of the opposition Shaktisinh Gohil said in his speech that the state government had been compelled to bring in the amendment bill because of pressure from Maldhari community and religious saints and leaders. "The government should look into the roots of the issue of cow slaughter. The government should take the grazing lands back, which have been given to its favourite people almost for free, and give it back to people associated with animal husbandry and also Maldhari community. People are compelled to sell their cattle because of helplessness to feed the animals, as there are no natural sources like grazing land," he said.

From the BJP, Radhanpur MLA Shankar Chaudhary, Gadhada MLA Atmaram Parmar, Jethabhai Bharwad and Mafat Purohit took part in the discussion. From the Congress, Ramsinh Parmar and other MLAs participated in the discussion.

GPCC president and Porbandar MLA Arjun Modhwadia also spoke on the bill. He said, "Earlier, those who are now sitting in the ruling government had staged protests to save the cow, but when their government was in power in the Centre during 1999-2004, nobody bothered about bringing a national level bill in Parliament on the issue. On the contrary, they had promoted the meat export."

He further said, "Even the Britishers had made rules to provide 40 acres of grazing land per 100 animals but today there is no space for the animals to even stand. This government has given the land, which was identified for animal hostel by the Britishers in 1904 near Sanand, to the Tatas. The government should protect the Indian culture of cow worshipping."

Sanghani, in his reply, said: "The government is committed to prosecuting those involved in cow slaughter. We will never let anyone go after committing such an act. As far as the issue of promoting meat exports is concerned, I would say that it is the UPA government, which is imposing ban on cotton export and giving subsidies to encourage meat export."