Amid demand to make cow national animal, a look at what Muslim members told Constituent Assembly in 1948
There is a growing demand among some Muslim organizations in India to declare the cow as the national animal, a status currently held by the tiger. Historical records from the 1948 Constituent Assembly debates reveal that Muslim members sought clarity on cow slaughter laws, with one member advocating for a ban to be included in the Constitution. This call for recognition comes ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, a festival associated with animal sacrifice, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding the issue of cow protection in India.
- ▪Several Muslim organizations are demanding that the cow be declared India's national animal.
- ▪The current national animal of India is the tiger, and the cow does not have official status.
- ▪Historical debates from 1948 show that Muslim members of the Constituent Assembly sought clarity on cow slaughter laws.
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Amid demand to make cow national animal, a look at what Muslim members told Constituent Assembly in 1948Several organisations among Muslims are demanding that the cow, considered sacred by large sections of Hindus, be given the status of India's national animal.Published on: May 27, 2026 6:07 PM ISTBy HT News DeskShare viaCopy link Amid calls from sections of the Muslim community to declare the cow a national animal, records of the Constituent Assembly debates from 1948 show that two Muslim members had asked the makers of the Constitution to clearly state the government’s position on cow slaughter, with one of them even suggesting that a ban should be directly included in Fundamental Rights.The cow has no such official status for now, but demand for it has historically come from Hindu…
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