Even as the global forecasting firm Oxford Economics has said India will be the worst-affected economy among major global economies even after we recover from the coronavirus, BJP national general secretary CT Ravi said that his government will bring in a stringent version of the contentious anti-cow slaughter law in Karnataka that will ensure a blanket ban on cattle slaughter, sale, and consumption of beef.
The former Karnataka Minister, who is in-charge of party affairs in Maharashtra, Goa and poll-bound Tamil Nadu, said a law banning cow slaughter would be passed in the upcoming Assembly session. The BJP in its manifesto ahead of the 2018 assembly election had promised prohibition of cow slaughter.
“Cow Slaughter Ban will be a reality in Karnataka in the near future. I have asked Animal Husbandry Minister Sri @PrabhuChavanBJP to get the ‘Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter & Preservation of Cattle Bill’ passed in the Cabinet and present the same in the upcoming Assembly Session,” the Chikkamagaluru MLA tweeted.
Cow Slaughter Ban will be a reality in Karnataka in the near future.
In have asked Animal Husbandry Minister Sri @PrabhuChavanBJP to get “The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter & Preservation of Cattle Bill” passed in the Cabinet and present the same in upcoming Assembly Session.
— C T Ravi 🇮🇳 ಸಿ ಟಿ ರವಿ (@CTRavi_BJP) November 20, 2020
In 2010, the Yediyurappa-led BJP government had passed a bill that placed a blanket ban on cattle slaughter, which was later overturned by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in 2013, calling the legislation draconian and unconstitutional. According to the bill, slaughter of cows, calf of a cow and bull, bullock, buffalo male or female and calf of a she-buffalo is prohibited.
The bill this government plans to introduce will be much more stringent and violators will be dealt with severe punishment, Chauhan said.
At present, a 1964 Act partially banning cow slaughter is in place in Karnataka. The Act allows for the slaughter of non-milch and diseased cattle.
In September, Karnataka’s Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chavan had stated that the government intends to introduce the controversial Bill in the monsoon session of the legislature. At the time, representatives of Muslim, farmer and Dalit organisations had strongly opposed the introducing of the Bill, stating that the move would effect the farming community, who is already suffering severe economic hardship in the State because of the pandemic.
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Rushda Fathima Khan is the Staff Reporter for The Cognate.
