Counter Argument
Over time, and increasingly recently, dairy farmers have been using modern milk-marketing outlets, stepping away from local milk tradesmen and small-scale dairy processing (Kumar). The sale of milk is dominated by traditional marketing outlets even with the emergence of newer, modern sales chains. The expectation has been that the lower class will suffer the most from the additional modern markets. It has been shown, though, that newer food supply chains have helped in linking sales between buyers and the smallholders of the farms in developing countries (Kumar). Studies have also shown that those farmers selling with cooperative, modern sales techniques are making higher profits than farmers selling in traditional formats, who are less efficient in their sales.
Another part of the arguments regarding cow regulations in India is the social and religious section. Mahatma Gandhi was a greatly influential leader in both of these aspects. As part of his legacy, Gandhi spoke of environmentalism and created a philosophy regarding how the environment should be treated. Gandhi’s philosophy was also influenced from two different religions: both Hinduism and Jainism, which helps to incorporate a larger group of people into his teachings and beliefs.
The environmental plans of Mahatma Gandhi were not simply focused on agrarian or strictly environmental issues, but included the social aspect of environmental justice (Sanford 68). He advocated for access to basic human needs, such as access to water, forests, and good soil. While not every community in India has an equal distribution of goods and money, certain communities such as the Brahma Vidya Mandir strive to live according to the Gandhian values of self-sufficiency, non-violence, and public service (Sanford 66).
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