India, March 30 -- One of the main features of the campaign for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections is the deafening silence of all political parties on the issues of animal rights and justice. And this despite the fact that a vast array of non-human living beings, ranging from neighbourhood dogs and cats and stray cattle roaming the streets, to the birds seen on nearby trees, are regularly visible to us. Though less frequently seen directly, wildlife in forest and waste lands and the fish in streams and ponds, have become familiar through films, videos, print and electronic media, folklore and discursive, and fictional writings. And, of course, many consume animals as food.

One reason for this silence is that we see non-human living bei...