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| Hinduism's Sacred Animal |
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But as cities have grown more crowded, cow-friendly policies have posed problems. Delhi's 13 million residents, for instance, share the streets with an estimated 40,000 cows -- leading to some complaints. One is that the grazing cows spread trash as they rip open garbage bags in search of tasty morsels. Another is that they dangerously snarl traffic.
The divine bull, Nandhi, guards Hindu temples. |
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"What is the greatest traffic hazard in Delhi today? Cows," Bibek Debroy, a columnist for India's Financial Express, wrote in a pointed 2003 essay. "As our national animal, the tiger may be close to extinction. But the cow is very much around and many soon become our new national animal."
To solve the problem, Debroy offered one tongue-in-cheek solution. "Let them have reflectors and, if not license plates, at least identity cards. Only genuine Delhi cows should be eligible for social security and other benefits."
City officials, meanwhile, have adopted a different approach: the cow catchers. Under pressure to reduce cow populations, Delhi has hired nearly 100 of the urban cowboys, who are charged with catching and shipping cows outside the city limits, sometimes to special reserves where the animals are cared for.
But the work isn't easy. And it can be downright dangerous. The cows often sport sharp horns, and life on the street has made them savvy and sometimes ornery. Some can recognize the sound of the transport trucks and perform a kind of bovine ballet to avoid the catchers. Still, city leaders say they won't give up until the vast majority of the cows have been moved. Skeptics note that some of the animals return to their home turfs within days of being moved.
Meanwhile, some of India's Hindu politicians are relying on cows to bolster their support. They have proposed new cow-protection ordinances, and vowed to ban butchers from Indian stores. Critics say such proposals go too far, and would violate India's commitment to religious tolerance -- and the nation's constitution. But if cows could vote, they'd surely be in favor.
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