| Mahendra Munnoth, a businessman, has become an unlikely scapegoat in the on-going cow slaughter hullabaloo.
His pro-vegetarianism posters put up all over the city have earned him the wrath of those opposing the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill. Munnoth has started receiving threatening calls asking him to remove the banners immediately. If not, he has been warned that animals will be slaughtered in front of his 24/7 medical store in Vijayanagar.
Munnoth, however, is not a worried man. "Some people are harsh by nature. But my work will continue. I invited my callers (those threatening him) to hold a debate on vegetarianism instead of slaughtering animals in front of my shop," he said.
"I am following in the footsteps of great people like Mahaveera and Mahatma Gandhi. It is also scientifically proven that vegetarian food is best for humanbeings. Many people from different political and religious backgrounds are supporting my campaign. I am not going to back off because of a few threats," Munnoth said.
Munnoth has put up about 700 banners across the city and distributed 30,000 books on vegetarianism among school students. Munnoth's banners read, "Be kind to animals, go veg", with a cow saying, "Don't kill me." The banners are in English, Hindi and Kannada.
Munnoth, who also produced a Kannada film 'Auto' last year, says his concern for animals and cows in particular is not a publicity gimmick. "My cause is genuine. I have been promoting vegetarianism for quite sometime now. Thanks to the on-going ruckus surrounding cow slaughter, I have become a convenient scapegoat," says Munnoth, who has invested a significant amount of money into his campaign. Munnoth received the threat calls earlier this week.
"I want more and more people to become vegetarians. I and my fellow campaigners hold regular contests and quizzes for schoolchildren on the topic in a bid to advise them regarding the benefits of becoming vegetarians. The younger the student, the more malleable he or she is," said Munnoth. He said his efforts to educate students of many schools in and around Vijayanagar on the benefits of vegetarianism have not gone in vain.
The cow slaughter prevention Bill has been forwarded to the President of India by Governor H R Bharadwaj. The controversial Bill has polarised politics in the state. The BJP, which managed to get the Bill passed in the Assembly in March, held demonstrations across 30 districts of the state on Monday. On Tuesday, Belgaum (Rural) MLA Satish Patil along with nearly 1,000 supporters arrived in Bangalore on two-wheelers as part of the 'Gow Raksha Abhiyan' in support of the Bill. Various Dalit organisations and writers led by U R Ananth Murthy organised counter protests.
Governor HR Bharadwaj's referral of the Bill to the President has in itself attracted criticism from the BJP. BLANKET BAN
The new Bill will replace the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964, which already places onditions on the slaughter of cows. The new law seeks to put a blanket ban on the slaughter of all cattle, including the bull, the bullock and the buffalo and the slaughter of any of these animals will be treated as a non-bailable offence. Possession of beef will also be punishable.
I invited my callers to hold a debate on vegetarianism instead of slaughtering animals in front of my shop |
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