For Global Peace with Social Justice in a Sustainable Environment

Animal Husbandryand Mahatma Gandhi

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

Gandhi International Study and Research Institute, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

E-mail- dr.yadav.yogendra@gandhifoundation.net;

dr.yogendragandhi@gmail.com

Mailing Address- C- 29, Swaraj Nagar, Panki, Kanpur- 208020, Uttar Pradesh, India

Animal Husbandryand Mahatma Gandhi

Mysore has also the Imperial Institute of Dairying and Animal Husbandry, and Mr. William Smith, the Imperial Dairy Expert, is himself stationed at Bangalore. The State has, therefore, all the materials necessary for evolving a constructive policy. Add to this the fact that Nature has endowed Mysore with a glorious climate. The title a Hindu king dearly cherishes is that of defender of the cow and the Brahmin. The cow means not merely the animal, the giver of milk and innumerable other things to India, but it mean also the helpless, the downtrodden and the poor. Brahmin means the representative of divine knowledge and experience. But today, alas! Hindu princes are powerless, and in many cases even indifferent, if not unwilling, to ensure this full protection. Unless the States and the people co-operate with one another to control and regulate the breeding of cattle, the production of milk supply, and the disposal of dead cattle, for the benefit of the people as a whole, the cattle of India will be bred but to die an unnatural death at the hands of the butcher, notwithstanding all the legislation that may be passed against cow-slaughter. The ignorance of Nature’s Law will be accepted as no excuse when men and women of India appear before the Throne of Judgment. 1

It has been my privilege during my convalescence at Bangalore to pay regular visits to the Imperial Animal Husbandry and Dairy Institute, and to take there, what may be called, regular lessons. Mr. William Smith, who is the Imperial Dairy Expert and Head of this Institute, and his assistants have most carefully shown me the working of the Institute and the different departments into which it is divided. I trust I shall make use of the knowledge thus gained in conducting the dairying experiment at the Satyagraha Ashram on behalf of the All- India Cow-protection Association. As a result of several discussions with Mr. Smith I asked him kindly to prepare for me notes on the working of pinjrapoles and on methods of cattle-improvement in our villages, which he very kindly and promptly undertook to do. I am already in possession of two valuable notes. I give below his note on pinjrapoles. 2

Now, having said this let me turn to other things. We have come forward to win our freedom from this tyrannical and oppressive Government. If we cannot put our own house in order in an organized manner, how shall we run the country’s Government? I ask you, therefore, to learn order and organization. Think of cow-protection also. In this band marching with me, there are experts on animal husbandry who will be able to help you. Introducing improvements by slow degrees, you can solve the question of cow-protection. Do think about these things. This struggle against the Government on which we have embarked is not going to reach its conclusion with five, or twenty-five, or even millions of men getting killed. We have to look after these other things also simultaneously. 3

Although we claim to practise cow-protection, we should now call it buffalo-protection or service to buffaloes. In this town of Dabhan, there are three hundred buffaloes as against three cows. This suggests that we are ignorant of animal husbandry. In this district, it is difficult to obtain cow’s milk or ghee for sick persons or for those who have taken the vow to serve only the cow. Goseva does not mean saving the cows from Muslims or Englishmen this amounts to cow-slaughter. That is a misinterpretation of the term Goseva. The number of cows sent to Australia to be slaughtered is a hundred times the number that is slaughtered in India by the Muslims. If you desire to see to it that cows are not exported abroad, you should all train yourselves in animal husbandry and act in accordance with that science. 4 I have gone through your prosperity plan. The idea is good. But I do not find it as attractive as your other schemes. It contains much material on the necessity of a plan but it is not a plan. A plan should be so devised that it can be put into effect by the Government and the people right from today. That they may not implement it is another matter. Such a plan is not beyond you. Think it over and if possible do something on these lines. In my view charkha should be at the centre of it. If you do not think so, you should produce the arguments against. It should not be left hanging in mid air. Crores of rupees will be saved at one stroke if Government, i.e., State-aid, is forthcoming. It is not necessary that all planning should be on the Western pattern. You know that I hold strong views on the subject. These have become strengthened. You can see that people are becoming lethargic in the absence of the charkha. Our cattle have become a liability owing to our ignorance of animal husbandry. India can beat any other country in prosperity by the study and practice of the charkha and animal husbandry and by solving the problem of small holdings. We shall discuss this when we meet. 5

Since you are running after varnadharma please solve some of my problems if you can. The Gita describes agriculture, animal husbandry and commerce as the natural functions of the Vaishyas. Commerce means selling by one person to another goods produced by a third. Or, the seller may produce the goods himself. The number of people engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry runs into crores. Even so Bharwads, Mochis, Chamars, and [some] peasants are today regarded as Shudras, whereas according to the definition given above they ought to be all regarded as Vaishyas. In my view and yours all the four varnas should be looked upon as equal, living humbly on the same level, not mounted on one another’s shoulders arrogantly crushing those below them. But we know our society has a different opinion. In these circumstances why should not such peasants, Bharwads, Chamars, etc., as are not employed as labourers but earn their lively hood by their own independent effort be regarded as Vaishyas? The peasant tends his own farm, Bharwads and Chamars engage in animal husbandry. They are not anybody’s servants. If we do not accept them as cattle-breeders, then they are traders, in so far as they themselves sell what they produce. In no way can they be covered by the definition of a Shudra. On the contrary, why isn’t anybody who is a servant a Shudra whether he is judge or governor, soldier or scavenger? 6

Who will not believe while reading this letter that cow-slaughter is being practised under the guise of cow-protection? We do not become murderers only when we commit actual murder with a knife. We commit murder even when we watch someone else being murdered and do not attempt to prevent it even though it is within our power to do so. Many of the suggestions made by the gosevak Shri Joshi can be put into practice anywhere in India. His letter is mainly addressed to Kathiawar and particularly the ruling princes there, as they can easily take up this work. Every State can set up one or more dairies, keep good stud bulls for the benefit of the people, castrate each and every male calf, supply good cows to whosoever needs them, provide facilities for training in animal husbandry, maintain pastures within their own States and prevent the cruel slaughter of buffalo-bulls which is being practised. 7

Let every goshala become an ideal dairy, that is, self-reliant, and let experts on dairying and animal husbandry work in it. A self reliant goshala must prosper from day to day. It can also make proper use of the hides of the dead cattle. These amounts to saying that with the increase in cattle wealth, our knowledge will also grow; and this will be a great help to us in reducing unemployment in the country. Even if one goshala will accomplish this task, other goshalas will follow it. 8

Shri Narahari Parikh, Secretary of the Goseva Sangh, has sent me a brief description of his tour in some Kathiawar States which he undertook for examining the cattle wealth there. I hope to publish it in Harijanbandhu, in two installments. The following item in this issue is the first of these. There was a time when Kathiawar cows were highly praised. That variety still exists but it is gradually disappearing. This wealth, which is being destroyed, may still be saved and fresh additions made to it if the rulers of Kathiawar and their officials put in the effort. There is room for improvement in all industries. Each one of these could be made more paying. But this possibility is perhaps the greatest in animal husbandry. Knowledge, diligence and patience are all that is required. According to our present knowledge, it is even claimed that the health of the human race is especially dependent upon our cattle wealth, i.e., on cow’s milk. India is a country where one expects the cows to be of the highest quality. But they are of the poorest quality and are at present a burden on the land. Shri Purushottam Joshi of the Bhavnagar institution, who is an expert in animal husbandry, suggests the following three ways of looking after cows: 1. Vagrant bulls should be castrated and used as bullocks. 2. Good pedigree bulls should be kept in every village and these should be well cared for. 3. Every farmer should have his own cow. All the States in Kathiawari can readily do this without incurring any loss. But the reader should now read the statement made by Shri Narahari Parikh. 9

The other question asked is whether the funds of the Charkha Sangh can be used for giving training to khadi workers in other branches of constructive work, such as agriculture, animal husbandry and Nayee Talim, in order to equip them for all-round village service. My answer is no. Funds collected for one institution cannot be spent on another. According to the constitution of the Charkha Sangh its funds cannot be used for any purpose other than khadi. Therefore expenditure on training in agriculture and animal husbandry should be borne by the institution concerned. Otherwise it will lead to confusion. If money belonging to one institution has to be advanced as loan to another institution, it should be done on proper security and on a reasonable rate of interest. The job of a trustee is difficult and dedicate. I have been a trustee of various institutions for over fifty years and every institution under me has flourished. The secret of my success is not my Mahatmaship but my business sense and the meticulous care I show in maintaining accounts. The success or otherwise of a public institution ought not to depend on the brilliance of an individual or individuals but on the purity of its management and the soundness of its business policy, If you are cultivate these money will come to you of it. 10

Animal husbandry experts have finally come to this conclusion. I cannot judge about buying the plot belonging to Patangiya. All that I can say is that you may do what you think well. I think this answers all your questions. It is, therefore, not necessary for you to travel all this distance. 11 I am sorry to read about the bullock. I think the bullock is like a son to the farmer. Animal husbandry is a difficult science. Agriculture can be fruitful only through co-operation. The larger part of it should involve manual labour. I have advised them in Noakhali to clear the fields by manual labour. Bullocks are scarce there. A large number of them were slaughtered. My advice will be that no new bullocks should be bought. How long can they go on buying bullocks? This whole question needs consideration. 12

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