Animal rights and wrongs

THE way the animal rights activists in the USA have ransacked research laboratories is highly unpleasant and does no credit to this organisation. (The Tribune, April 9, page 9). This is unprecedented rowdyism in the history of crusading for preventing animal experimentation. Such raids needs to be condemned as these are liable to prompt animal rights activists in other parts of the world to make the same fuss elsewhere. It is discomforting, distressing and disappointing to the research scientists who are toiling hard to develop vital things for the benefits of human and animals.

Alleged damaging of human brain cells stored for developing specific vaccine is a sad and unfortunate example of halting a vital endeavour. Animal rights activists must seek the cooperation of research scientists to minimise animal experimentation. Confrontation and violence are not the ethical approach to this direction. Let the law makers and executors look into the agony of the experimental animals in laboratories. Both replacement of animals in experiments and refinement of experiments need to be geared up for which time and money should be spent by the respective governments.

We must realise that our ever increasing demand for effective and speedy cure of diseases exerts pressure that leads to animal experimentation. More research is needed to develop more replacements for animals. Research is obligatory if it is to develop vaccine for AIDS but it is cruelty if animal experimentation is done for new cosmetics, chemicals and household products of daily use.

The scientists must change their attitude towards animal experimentation and instead rely on test tube experiments on animal/human tissues and computer models as far as possible. Researchers should strive to find more alternatives to animal use in laboratories. They owe extra moral responsibility to animals with which they work to discover new medicines/treatments for which they are liable to be honoured. Both replacement of animals in experiments and the refinement of experiments should be the endeavour of the scientists.

The guidelines for housing, handling and experimental procedure for research have been laid down by the national and international agencies. It should be the moral imperatives of animal welfare organisations, governments, animal rightists and last but not the least journalists to procure knowledge of these guidelines and practices and object effectively to any infringement thereof.

Dr SOSHIL RATTAN
Amritsar

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Hatred corrodes soul

Apropos of Mr K. Rajbir Deswal’s middle article “There is something...!” (March 27), the Muslims of Sonepat and Karnal (Haryana), who did not offer “qurbaani” (sacrifice) on the occasion of Eid-uz-zoha, since Mahavir Jayanti also fell on that day, deserve praise. They have made history.

Mr Deswal has rightly quoted Allama Iqbal’s verse: “Kuchh baat hai ke hasti mit-ti nahin hamari”. This “baat” is love with tolerance towards those having different religious persuasions. A Persian poet said: Hafiza gar vasl khaahi sul’h kun ba khaas-o-aam/Ba Musalmaan Allah Allah by Brahman Ram Ram (O’ Hafiz! If you want to promote communal harmony and social unity, make peace with the people belonging to all strata of society. Greet a Muslim with the salutation of “Allah Allah and a Brahman with that of “Ram Ram”).

There are instances of many Muslim rulers observing Hindu festivals and rites. While celebrating Nau-roz (New Year’s Day), Akbar allowed Brahmans to mark “tilak” on his forehead and perform “havan”. Siraj-ud-doulah and Meer Ja’far enjoyed the Holi festival along with their friends and relatives. It is said that, before his death, Meer Ja’far even took some drops of water poured in libation on the idol of Kiriteswari near Murshidabad. Daulat Rao Sindhia and his officers participated in the Moharram procession in green dress like Mohammedans. Even now, many Hindus host Iftar parties during the month of Ramazan. Such gesture of goodwill strengthen Hindu-Muslim amity. Had not Iqbal declared: Shakti bhi shaanti bhi bhagton key geet mein hai/Dharti key baasiyon ki mukti preet mein hai.

No country can progress without communal harmony and social unity. In a secular democracy, the voteries of one belief must respect the sentiments of the adherents of another faith. One religion is as good as another. In fact, religion is a rational way of living: service to the fellow human beings. Love nourishes the soul. Hatred corrodes it.

BHAGWAN SINGH
Qadian

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Horticulture ties

In the wake of improvement in Indo-Pak relations due to mutual efforts of Prime Ministers Atal Behari Vajpayee and Nawaz Sharif, a delegation of five senior scientists from Pakistan Agricultural University, Faisalabad (former Punjab Agricultural College, Layallpur) visited Himachal Horticultural University, Solan on February 27 to explore the possibilities of collaboration in horticultural education, research and development between the two institutions.

Himachal Pradesh and the North-western region of Pakistan have unique potentialities for growing certain kinds of fruits which cannot be grown in the plains of the two countries. It may be recalled that before partition, the NWFP used to supply grapes, pomegranates, almonds, pistachio, dried figs, apricots prunes and other such fruits to the rest of India whereas, Himachal Pradesh started growing these fruits after partition of the country and has now made rapid strides in this venture. To enhance this progress, the Government of India have sanctioned a full-fledged university of horticulture in Himachal Pradesh on the pattern of horticultural university of Hungary, which was the only university of horticulture in the world and now the HP Horticultural University is the second such university.

The importance of collaboration in horticulture between the Faisalabad and Solan Universities was knocking at their mind since long but the idea could not be put to practice due to uncongenial conditions between the two countries. The Pakistan delegation was given a warm reception at the university campus in Solan and acquainted with detailed activities of the university. The scientists had animated discussions as to how these two institutions should pool their efforts to collaborate in exchange of knowledge, plant material, visits of scientists and of farmers which will go a long way, not only in adding to the progress and prosperity of India and Pakistan but also in bringing about the sense of friendship and fraternity that existed during the prepartition era and is now remembered by the people of both the countries with a sense of nostalgia.

D. R. THAKUR
Solan