29 August 2011 Justice Ranjana P Desai, Chamber 48, Mumbai High Court, Fort, Mumbai - 32 Justice R G Ketkar, Chamber

19, Mumbai High Court, Fort, Mumbai - 32 Dear Justices Desai and Ketkar: I'm writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, India's most well-known animal rights organization, to urge you to allow the state to serve exclusively vegetarian food in Arthur Road prison. We understand this prison is already sending a positive message against violence by serving vegetarian food on most days of the year. It would be a big step backward to start feeding prisoners cruel, meat-based food just because a few meat addicts at Arthur Road prison are complaining. Furthermore, by feeding prisoners exclusively vegetarian food, you could reduce the recidivism rate, save taxpayers money, benefit prisons and help the prisoners as well. Please let me explain. Vegetarian food promotes compassion. Prisons are the last place we should be encouraging violence, and meat involves extreme cruelty and killing. Cows, buffaloes, sheep and goats are crammed onto vehicles on their way to slaughter in such illegally high numbers that many break their bones, suffocate or die en route. Chickens are stuffed into sacks or tied upside down by their legs on bicycles. All these animals then have their throats hacked at, typically with dull blades in full view of their companions. Fish are suffocated or cut open while still conscious. Vegetarian food decreases aggressive behaviour. Numerous prisons have successfully reduced violence with a regimen that includes vegetarian or vegan meals. Vegan meals are dairy-free and contain no animal products. The Victor Valley Medium Community Correctional Facility (Adelanto, California) and Maryland Correctional Adjustment Center (Baltimore, Maryland) both reported success in using vegetarian meals in behaviour modification programmes. Doug Anglen, the director of food service of Victor Valley, has observed, "There is a noticeable difference in the personalities of the vegetarian inmates. They smile more, are fully racially integrated, attend religious classes and anger management classes eagerly. Within 10 days, the vegan inmates express improvement in how they feel." This should come as little surprise considering that psychologists from Radboud University Nijmegen and Tilburg University conclude from various studies on the psychological significance of meat that flesh consumption brings out the worst in people. According to the findings, carnivores feel superior to others whilst vegetarians are happier and less

PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS PETA India PO Box 28260 Juhu, Mumbai 400 049 (22) 4072 7382 (22) 2636 7383 (fax) Info@petaindia.org PETAIndia.com

Affiliates: PETA US PETA Foundation (UK) PETA Asia-Pacific PETA Germany PETA Netherlands Registered Office: H-341, Ground Floor New Rajendra Nagar, New Delhi 110 066

lonely. Research in psychology and criminology shows that people who are cruel to animals are often violent to humans as well. A vegetarian programme will cut your health-care costs. Vegetarians have a fraction of the risk of heart disease, obesity, cancer, strokes, and diabetes of those who consume animal products. A vegan diet contains no cholesterol, is low in fat and can help reverse heart disease and cut cancer risk by 40 percent. Vegetarians have about one-fourth the obesity risk of meat-eaters, and vegans have one-tenth the risk. The bottom line: if prison systems mandated vegetarian meals, money would be saved by decreasing prisoner health-care costs. Anglen has detailed some of the health improvements of the vegan inmates at his prison. He described how diabetics were able to rid themselves of the need to take medications, a good number saw their skin conditions improved, many lost excess weight and most felt more energetic. A vegetarian programme is cheaper. Vegetarian food is far less expensive than meat, and vegetarian food is easier to prepare. Beans, rice, lentils, nuts, fruit, potatoes, and other vegetables contain all the nutrients a person needs but often cost a fraction of the price of meat. Vegetarian food stores efficiently, grows easily, and can be a part of a prison work programme. Many vegetarian food ingredients can be shipped and stored dry and therefore can be transported and stored less expensively than meat, which is heavy and must be refrigerated. Prisons can also choose to grow some of their own fruits and vegetables, instilling a sense of pride and responsibility when inmates are able to reap the benefits of their labour. Vegetarian food may discourage some hopelessly meat-addicted convicts from reoffending. Admittedly, there are probably some inmates who will miss eating flesh, maybe because they're addicted to the fat or the various chemical, hormone and antibiotic residues common in meat. However, as you know, it's prison and not a five-star resort. If some inmates dislike going without meat strongly enough, a programme like this could further decrease recidivism. Making prisons meat-free zones is a win-win situation. For these reasons, we hope that you will allow the state prison system to enforce a vegetarian-only policy. We would be happy to help prisons design meatless meal plans. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Bhuvaneshari Gupta Nutritionist and Campaign Coordinator