Funds from cow slaughter racket being pumped into terror: Maneka Gandhi

JAIPUR: Union minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi on Sunday said that money earned through the illegal trade of slaughtered 'milking animals' goes into terrorism.

She added that increasing demand for meat of milking cows in the Middle East was leading to scarcity of healthy milk and the subsequent adulteration of dairy products in India.

"Traders milk the cow in front of the slaughterer to prove that they have brought a milking cow," said Gandhi, while addressing delegates on the third day of 'India for Animals' conference here.

Maneka clarified that it is not a religious or communal issue as people from all communities were involved in slaughtering cows. "A slaughterer could be a Muslim but the transporter and the owners of the cows are often Hindus and non-Muslims. So it is not about religion but about trade and greed for money," she said.

Citing a recent study handed over to Uttar Pradesh police, Maneka said that a major chunk of the money earned from illegal trade of animals was being diverted to sponsor terrorist outfits in the country. "Money through trade of slaughtered animals goes into terrorism, therefore goes into killing us, why are we allowing this?"

She said that hundreds of pregnant cows were being slaughtered and illegally exported to several parts of the world including Bangladesh, the country which has emerged as a major importer of beef.

Export of all kinds of meat of animals should be banned and the animal welfare activists should launch a countrywide movement for the illegal slaughtering of animals," she said.