PUTTING TO DEATH OF GANGOTRI AT BHAKTIVEDANTA HINDU TEMPLE

Early day motion 576, tabled 13 December 2007 by Barry Gardiner (Labour). Signed by 12 members.

That this House condemns the action of the RSPCA and Hertfordshire police in killing Gangotri - a cow in the sacred herd of the Hindu temple at Bhaktivedanta Manor; notes that the cow suffered from no contagious disease that rendered her any danger to other animals or humans and indeed had received superb nursing care from the temple's herdsman for the muscle failure and bedsores she was stricken with; and expresses its anger that despite promises from the police the previous day that no precipitate action would be taken and assurances that the community would have the opportunity to seek due legal process, the police and RSPCA arrived unannounced the following morning, went to the Goshala and physically removed three devotees before killing Gangotri by lethal injection whilst the rest of the community were at prayer in the temple.

Signatures by party: Labour 7, Conservative 4, Liberal Democrat 1.