The Law Protects What the Temple Honours
Twenty-nine of India's thirty-six states and union territories have laws that restrict or outright ban cow slaughter. In Uttar Pradesh, the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act carries a penalty of up to ten years in prison. In Gujarat, it is a life sentence. No other animal in Indian law sits inside this category, not the elephant, not the tiger, not the peacock, which is the national bird. The cow occupies a legal tier of its own.
