Hindu Sena seeks action against PETA over 'protect cows this Rakshabandhan' campaign
Jul 18, 2020
Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 18 : The Hindu Sena has filed a police complaint against the "malicious and outrageous article and tweet" of the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India about use of leather in Rakshabandhan.
This comes amid PETA India's campaign this Rakshabandhan which urges people to protect cows and "include them in our circle of protection by pledging to go leather-free for life".
The complaint, filed by Hindu Sena Noida president Dinesh Gupta at Noida Sector 20 police station stated that the animal rights organisation had recently posted an article and tweet, which urged people not to use leather products fashioned out of cow skins for the Hindu festival Rakhshabandhan.
"It is pertinent to mention that Rakhis or the products used during the festival of Rakshabandhan are made of either cotton or polyester thread and not leather. Rakshabandhan is not just a celebration but a religious festival, which prohibits the use of any kind of leather or products made from the skin of animals," the complaint said.
The Hindu Sena, in its complaint, sought the registration of an FIR against PETA India for allegedly insulting the religious sentiments of Hindus under several relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including promoting enmity, outrage religious feelings, criminal conspiracy, ), and statements conducing to public mischief.
"The above said offending article/tweet was published with the deliberate and malicious intention of outraging religious feelings of Hindus and insult the religious beliefs of Hindus as the cow is sacred among the Hindus and they consider cow as their mother and no Hindu can even imagine to use anything made up from the skin of mother cow," the complaint alleged.
It said that there was no justification for putting up such hoardings and publishing such articles asking people not to use leather made from cow skin during Rakhshabandhan.
This comes amid PETA India's campaign this Rakshabandhan, urging people to protect cows and "include them in our circle of protection by pledging to go leather-free for life".
According to PETA India, it has put up billboards in Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kanpur, and Patna featuring a cow proclaiming, "Protect Me - Go Leather-Free."
