Archives for 2017

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government Friday amended the state’s Animal Preservation Bill to entail a maximum punishment of life imprisonment and a minimum of 10 years for cow slaughter after it was passed in the assembly in the absence of the Opposition Congress and with the visitors’ gallery packed with saffron-clad Hindu priests.

Speaking on the amendment, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said that while he was “not against any food”, he wanted to make Gujarat “shakahari (vegetarian)”, “We do not want Jersey cows, but Gir and Kankreji cows instead,” he said.

Rupani also described Gujarat as a “unique state”, which followed the tenets of Mahatma Gandhi — “non-violence and truth”. “This is Gandhi’s Gujarat, Sardar’s (Vallabhbhai Patel) Gujarat and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi’s Gujarat,” said Rupani.

The passage of the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2017 came eight months after seven Dalits were beaten by self-styled cow vigilantes for alleged cow slaughter in Una.

The punishment for cow slaughter under the earlier law was imprisonment ranging from three to seven years. The new law also makes offences under the amended Act non-bailable.

The amendment was cleared after the Speaker suspended members of the Congress for creating a ruckus before the Bill was passed.

When the amendment Bill was introduced over a month ago, it had a maximum punishment of ten years imprisonment. On Friday, however, the ruling BJP moved to enhance the punishment to a life-term.

In another major amendment, the Bill included a provision that vehicles caught in transporting cows, beef or beef products illegally will be forfeited to the state government. The maximum fine for the offence has also been increased from Rs 50,000 to one ranging from Rs 1 lakh-Rs 5 lakh.

Besides, the punishment for conviction for illegal transportation of cow, beef or beef products has been increased from three years imprisonment to seven years.

The Act allows transportation of animals of cow progeny with permission, but not between 7 pm and 5 am.

The statement of the Bill reads, “In the year 2011, the State Government had made certain amendments in the said Act for better implementation of the Act. It is, however, experienced while implementing the said Act that still more stringent provisions are required to be made by amending the said Act for curbing the menace of illegal slaughtering of the animals covered under the said Act to provide for more stringent punishment and effectively check the rampant use of vehicles for transporting such animals.”

During the discussion on the Bill, Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja said, “This is not a Bill, but a feeling of crores of Indians. It is my humble attempt to give voice to the cows being killed by butchers. A single drop of cow blood falling on earth pains Hindus. With this law, Vijaybhai Rupani’s government will make Gujarat cow-slaughter-free.”

Jadeja also offered his respects to the “Hindu saints” in the visitors gallery, and said that he was “feeling proud as a Hindu” to introduce the Bill in the House.

One of those present in the gallery, Kaniramji Bapu of Dudhrej in Surendranagar district, an important religious seat of the maldhari community (cattle herders) in Gujarat, said, “We oppose cow slaughter and believe in its preservation. And so, we came here in support of the Act. Cows should be preserved and their slaughtering must end.”

Another religious figure, Mahant Vikramgiri from Ghela-Somnath of Jasdan in Rajkot district, said, “Around 300 sadhu-sants have come to Assembly. Since the government had announced that they will bring the Bill, we knew it in advance and are here to support it.”

In 2011, when Narendra Modi was chief minister of Gujarat, the state government had imposed a complete ban on slaughter of cows, transportation and selling of cow meat by amending the Act.

(Agencies)

New Delhi: Senior Karnataka Congress leader C K Jaffer Sharief on Saturday differed from his party’s stand on reports of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat being considered as a candidate for the post of President. In a letter purportedly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sharief supported Bhagwat’s candidacy and said nobody should have objections about it.

“There are different schools of thought in India and it is but natural for such a vast country. Mr. Mohan Bhagwat may belong to one school of thought but there should not be any doubt about his patriotism, love for the people of India and loyalty to the nation,” Sharief reportedly wrote in the letter.

The 83-year-old’s surprise backing of Bhagwat comes in direct conflict with the Congress party’s stand on the issue.

“It is very clear that we do not support RSS ideology and when it comes to appointing our President, at the right time, we will, of course, have our own internal discussion first and then share,” party leader Gaurav Gogoi told reporters in New Delhi.

It was Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut who began the speculation on Bhagwat when he said the RSS sarsanghchalak should be considered as the NDA candidate for the presidential polls later this year. Current president Pranab Mukherjee’s tenure ends on July 24.

“Bhagwat is a strong leader, a staunch nationalist and has a deep knowledge of the Constitution, so if the BJP wants to make India a ‘Hindu Rashtra’, his name must be considered.. He is the most ideal candidate,” Raut had said.

Bhagwat himself, however, made it clear that he was not interested in the post. “We close all doors on politics before coming here. When we work in the Sangh, we don’t go there (to such high posts). There are many Swayamsevaks up there and they know it well,” the RSS chief said adding that even if his name was nominated, he would not accept it.

(Agencies)

Muzaffarnagar: A group of girls at a residential school here were allegedly threatened and forced to strip by the Principal, following which an inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

According to a complaint filed by the parents of the victims, the students of Kasturba Gandhi Residential School at Digri village were Thursday forced to strip by the Principal.

The Principal allegedly threatened the students of dire consequences if they disobeyed her command, District Primary Education Officer Chander Kesh Yadav said.

An enquiry has been ordered, he said.

“There was no teacher around. We were called downstairs (from the hostel). Madam made us take off our clothes saying she will beat us if we did not. We are kids, what could we do? She would have beaten us if we did not obey her,” one of the students said.

The Principal, however, has denied the allegations.

“No one asked them to remove clothes. All this is a conspiracy by the staff because they do not want me to stay here. I had been asked to check whether the staff were performing their duties. I am strict, that is why they hate me,” she said.

Meanwhile, 35 out of the total 65 students of the school left after the reports of harassment by the Principal surfaced.

Many students have come forward with similar allegation, Yadav said, adding the matter is being probed.

(PTI)