A Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Supreme Court. It stated that the entire vegetarian class is facing COVID-19 because of the violent eating habits of non-vegetarians. Vishwas Jain Sanghatan represents the class of vegetarian people. He asserted that people eat domestic and wild animals only for a ‘change of taste‘. While doing so they have jeopardized humanity. The petition states that years of national selection has created humanity.
Petitioner’s Contentions Against Non-Vegetarians’ Eating Habits
This ‘change of taste’ is an atrocious and a violent habit. It has hit at the very root of Article 21 of those who love animals. They guarantee full protection of ‘right to life’ coupled with the Directive Principle of State Policy contained in Art 48, 48-A and Art. 51-A(g). It makes a constitutional duty of every citizen to ‘protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures’. Directions must be given to the Central and State governments. Such directions are to put a complete ban on slaughtering of animals/birds/fish or chicken for the trade and consumption purposes. Moreover, there should be a prohibition on the export of meat.
Notice Dated March 30, 2o20
The petitioner also challenged the notice dated March, 30. The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying issued the notice, promoting the consumption of meat. He referred to the World Health Organisation’s call to all the nations to try to reduce risk of transmission from animals to humans. WHO also called an emergency meeting to identify the role of animal species in the emergence of COVID-19. However, the PIL alleges that the Union Ministry succumbed to the pressures of the meat lobby. It issued the circular when there is no conclusive research to reject the involvement of animal species in spreading the virus.
Furthermore, the petitioner seeks directions to the Indian Council of Medical Research to identify the role of animal species in the emergence and spread of COVID-19. Being that, the plea seeks to direct the Centre to constitute a high-level research committee. It should assist to carry out the above-mentioned research.
