Common sense prevails in the case of Shambo the “sacred” bull

Shambo the supposedly “sacred” bull has been disposed of at last. The face-off between the intransigent Hindus in Wales (who seemed hell-bent on creating a confrontation) was one of the more pathetic examples of recent attempts by religions to exempt themselves from the law.

The Shambo episode is at one with the Silver Ring Thing, the Shabina Begum jilbab-in-school case and the British Airways cross debacle. In all these instances, religious organisations have demanded that they be exempted from the rules that everyone else has to follow. In all instances, the protagonists have tried to establish that religion has a special and favoured place in the law. In the case of Shambo, something like £200,000 of public money has been wasted.

In all instances (except the BA case) they have been sent packing. And that is how it should be. The law becomes meaningless if it is not applied without fear or favour to everyone equally.

Shambo is dead and that is how it should be. Thousands of other animals have faced the same fate when they were found to be carriers of potentially catastrophic infections. The idea that this particular beast was “sacred” is a concept that exists only in the head of deluded people. The Bovine Tuberculosis, on the other hand, is a real and present danger that can be seen under a microscope. No contest.

See also: A recipe for disharmony