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You are here: Home / Archives for Cow Slaughter Prevention Bill

People’s Union for Democratic Rights condemns bans on cow slaughter

March 27, 2015 by Nasheman

by People’s Union for Democratic Rights

REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade

REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade

On March 16th 2015, the Haryana Government unanimously passed Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Bill with main opposition parties INLD and Congress supporting the Bill. The new bill passed by the Haryana Government bans cow slaughter and sale of beef and imposes a punishment of rigorous imprisonment of not less than three years extending up to 10 years and fines ranging from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. one lakh. The Haryana Government’s move comes just days after the President’s assent to Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill 1995 early this month. Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill 1995 not only banned beef but also extended the prohibition to slaughter of bulls and oxen. There was already a ban on slaughter of cows in Maharashtra since 1976. The new amended act imposes a fine of Rs. 10,000 and a maximum prison term of five years for selling or even possessing beef.

What needs to be underlined here is that these bans on cow slaughter are not new; they were in existence in many of the states for many-many years. For example in Delhi, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, slaughter of cows and calves is totally prohibited. In Goa and Andhra Pradesh, ‘cow’ is defined to include heifer, or a male or female calf of a cow under the Goa, Daman and Diu Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act 1978 and Andhra Pradesh Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act 1977, respectively. In some states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Madhya Pradesh slaughter of bulls, bullocks and adult buffalos is permitted on ‘fit for slaughter’ certificate if the cattle is over 12 or 15 years of age, is not likely to become economical for draught, breeding or milk. Assam and West Bengal provides for slaughter of all cattle which includes bull, bullocks, calves, cows and buffalo on ‘fit for slaughter’ certificate. Meghalaya and Nagaland have no legislation to this effect.
What, however, is new is the increase in quantum of punishment and fines being imposed in the recent legislations passed against slaughter of cows and other animals. Haryana was covered under the Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act 1955 and had a rigorous imprisonment upto five years and a fine upto Rs. 5000 or both. The new Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act increases punishment to rigorous imprisonment of three years to ten years and fines of Rs. 30,000 – Rs. 100,000. In many states like Gujarat, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka the punishment for cow slaughter is a maximum imprisonment of six months or fine upto Rs.1000 or both. The 1976 Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act also provided for similar punishment and fines. What also needs to be underlined is that in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab and Rajasthan the burden of proof is on the accused. It shows how much importance has been attached to prevention of cow slaughter so as to have this extraordinary provision in the law. It is so ironical that the women’s movement had to struggle so hard to make this change in law in cases of rape to shift the burden of proof on the accused whereas it finds a place in these state’s laws on cow slaughter without anyone even noticing them.

That prohibition of slaughter of cows, calves and other milch and draught animals finds a place in the Directive Principles of State Policy in our Constitution and that many states in India have a law banning cow slaughter and beef is indicative of a deep seated majoritarian understanding of Indian culture. It shows that the nature of state in India is heavily tilted in a selective understanding of Indian and even Hindu tradition. This questions the whole edifice of secularism and equal respect for all religions in India. The understanding that Hindus stand against cow slaughter or that Hinduism has always shunned and continues to shun beef is a proposition which is deeply contested. It might well be that some castes or groups amongst Hindus revere the cow and find cow slaughter abominable, but this view is not true of all Hindus across India, either today or in the past.

Quite apart from the absurdity of imposing dietary preference of one privileged and powerful group over the rest, there are other compelling reasons to question the ban. The entire meat production industry, from the traditional to the modern, employs and meets livelihood needs of millions of Indians. India’s meat production ranks fifth at 6.3 million tonnes in which share of bovine meat (cow, buffalo, bull) constitutes 62%. Of this, less than a million tones is exported. Thus the rest of it goes to meet the dietary needs of millions of Indians. Thus in banning cow slaughter to appease a minority of Hindus, livelihood needs and therefore right to life of millions of Indians has been put at risk. And in the bargain, it also simultaneously removes cheap high protein diet for hundreds of millions of Indians of every denomination.

These bans which are being extended to cover other cattle as well under an expansive definition of ‘beef’ pose many kinds of problems like for poor farmers who cannot take care of an old cow and because of these bans can no longer sell it to an abattoir. It has serious livelihood ramifications for a large number of families directly and indirectly dependent on cattle trade and related industries like leather, gelatin, animal fat soap industry, pharmaceuticals and meat exports.

It is worth noticing that more than fifty percent of people engaged in meat production and related trade of skin, hides, bones etc are Hindus. And they are beef consumers. To PUDR this ban therefore, is an assault on the right to life which involves livelihood and a diet of their choice, of Hindus, in whose name it has been brought in, as much as the religious minorities. In other words, it limits the dietary preferences of a substantial section of Indian people.

With Haryana and Maharashtra Governments’ pushing cow slaughter ban, not withstanding Goa’s BJP Chief Minister ruling out a cow slaughter ban in Goa, a majoritarian agenda is being promoted. Although, most of the state laws banning cow slaughter were passed by Congress governments, RSS affiliated Hindu right-wing groups are clamoring now for an all India ban on cow slaughter and for the strictest punishment for anyone indulging in it. This opens the door for fanatics to carry out raids, effect arrests and resort to organized violence against Muslims in particular. These laws provide a social and legal sanction to such groups to harass people who transport the cattle for selling, export and other purposes. The Haryana law includes police action against drivers of vehicles transporting beef and the impounding of such vehicles. PUDR’s 2003 report on Dalit Lynching at Dulina (in Jhajjhar district of Haryana) traces the underlying tensions on the issue of cow protection and its threat to some castes traditionally associated with cow slaughter and trading.

In light of all this, PUDR condemns the recent bans on ‘cow’ slaughter, which like many bans/proscriptions on books, literature, scholarship, films can only be understood in the context of right-wing Hindu upsurge in recent times. The ban is an infringement of personal dietary choices with the state having assumed the power to criminalize some of these. It is indeed a cruel irony that the exercise of this basic freedom invites a greater prison term as punishment than a grave criminal offence like rape for which the term is 7 years; or for deaths due to criminal negligence where the prison term is two years.

While it cannot be stressed enough that a democratic strategy is required to contest the upper caste Hindu bias which is reflected in the Constitution with regard to cow slaughter, we acknowledge that issues of cruelty to animals, animal shelters, maintenance of hygienic conditions in abattoirs, effective waste disposal do need attention. The ban is a reminder that we are being served a fait accompli leaving no room for debate/s or reasoned discussion. PUDR therefore denounces the narrow sectarian construction that conceals a much more diverse and complex reality.

Megha Bahl, Sharmila Purkayastha
Secretaries

Filed Under: India Tagged With: Cow, Cow Slaughter, Cow Slaughter Prevention Bill, People’s Union for Democratic Rights, PUDR

In Kerala, a beef fest to protest against beef ban

March 11, 2015 by Nasheman

beef-fest-kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Beef cooked in the open and Hindus and Muslims sitting together for a meal – this was how a section of people in Kerala protested today against the recent ban on the meat in Maharashtra.

Beef in Kerala means both cows and buffaloes and its consumption has no religious overtones. Not only do some Hindus here eat beef, going by sales figures, it is also the most-favoured meat in the state.

The annual sale of beef is estimated at 2.3 lakh metric tonnes against the corresponding figure for poultry — 1.51 lakh metric tonnes.

“I am a Hindu. I should be given the freedom to eat whatever I want, even when I am eating this,” said Ajith P from Kannur, who was at the protest of DYFI, the state CPM’s youth wing, at Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.

Sharing the dish with him was Ajeeth Muhammad. Though a supporter of Muslim League, he said he didn’t mind backing a cause. “None of us here have issues with beef consumption. It is part of Kerala’s culture. How can we be stopped from eating something we want to?” he said.

Heading the protest, DYFI’s B Biju said, “This is a token protest against the ban of beef in Maharashtra and a warning for anyone who would want to implement the same in Kerala. Any ban our food will not be acceptable.”

A state panchayat law lays clear guidelines for slaughterhouses – that an animal can’t be slaughtered unless it is over 10 years old, or has been made unfit for work or breeding due to injury or deformity.

Digging into the beef curry before returning to the Assembly, CPM legislator P Sreeramakrishnan said, “I eat my beef. And so do many others in Kerala. Nothing will change.”

Last week, President Pranab Mukherjee ratified the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill which bans the slaughter of calves and bullocks.

Anyone found selling or eating beef can be jailed for five years and fined Rs. 10,000. Only the consumption of buffaloes, which give inferior quality beef, will be allowed.

Beef traders – thousands of whom will be jobless – and a section of people in social media have protested against the ban, with hashtag #BeefBan trending for a while on Twitter.

(Agencies)

Filed Under: India Tagged With: Beef, Cow Slaughter Prevention Bill, Kerala, Maharashtra

#Beefban: Haryana govt to introduce Bill on banning cow slaughter

March 9, 2015 by Nasheman

Photo: IE

Photo: IE

Chandigarh: Haryana Agriculture Minister Om Parkash Dhankar today said that the state is all set to introduce a Bill for “protection and upkeep” of cows in Budget Session of the Assembly beginning tomorrow.

In the proposed ‘Govansh Sanrakashan and Gau Samvardhan (Cow Protection and Cow Conservation and Development) Bill’ efforts will be made to ban cow slaughter and for conservation and better care of indigenous cattle, he said.

“For the scientific test and analysis, government is considering to establish laboratories to differentiate beef from meat of that of other animal species. Test reports of these laboratories will be valid evidence in the court of law,” Dhankar said adding that sale of packaged beef has been banned in the state.

The minister noted that there were some 3,000 cows in the state in 400 cow shelters run by NGOs. Besides, some 1.5 lakh cows roam in fields or streets.

He said that the existing cow sheds will be upgraded and made self-sufficient.

“Special efforts will be taken for availability of Beta Carotene and A-2 milk protein in the milk of indigenous cows which are beneficial for control of diabetes and cholesterol in human beings and also known for better digestibility.

“The focus will also be on establishing a brand for the milk of indigenous cows and ensuring A-2 milk at remunerative prices,” Dhankar said.

The state will provide financial and technical support to cow welfare organisations like Gaushalas, Gau-Grah, Gau-Abhyaranya, Gau-Sadan, Gokul Gram that are engaged in maintenance and care of sick, injured, stray and uneconomic cows, he said.

“The government will take necessary steps to provide incentives for marketing and processing of milk from indigenous cows,” he added.

(PTI)

Filed Under: India Tagged With: Beef, Cow Slaughter Prevention Bill, Haryana, Maharashtra

Karnataka withdraws anti-cow and cattle slaughter Bills

December 20, 2014 by Nasheman

Photo: The Hindu

Photo: The Hindu

Belagavi: The Karnataka Assembly today was adjourned sine die without transacting any business as BJP members staged a dharna demanding resignation of “tainted” ministers and rapping Congress government for withdrawing the stringent Cow Slaughter Prevention Bill.

As proceedings of the last day of the 10-day session began, BJP members staged dharna in the well shouting slogans against the government, accusing it of protecting “tainted” ministers and demanded their resignation for their alleged involvement in corruption.

BJP members led by Jagadish Shettar wanted discussion on corruption charges against Ministers Qamarul Islam, H S Mahadeva Prasad, and Dinesh Gundu Rao, under adjournment motion.

Speaker Kagodu Thimappa, who yesterday had rejected BJP’s demand saying the matter was in courts, did not pay heed to the protesting members and went about the business of the day.

BJP also slammed the Congress government for withdrawing the Cow Slaughter Prevention Bill, passed during its rule.

The Congress government last August had reversed the previous BJP government’s decision that had made the cow slaughter law stringent.

The government had decided to restore the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964, that governs the slaughter of cattle in the state.

A Bill passed by both the Houses of the Legislature during BJP rule had widened the definition of cattle, made punishment harsher and increased the age of animal to be slaughtered but it did not receive the Presidential assent.

Congress, which was in the opposition then with Siddaramaiah as its leader, had opposed the legislation, saying it would affect beef-eaters and persons engaged in cattle transportation.

Countering BJP’s protest, Congress members raised slogans against them, saying the party was anti-North Karnataka and they were least interested in discussing problems pertaining to the region.

Despite the din, the Speaker proceeded with further business like tabling Lake Conservation and Development and Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) bills.

As the ruckus continued, Thimappa adjourned the House sine die.

(PTI)

Filed Under: India Tagged With: Belagavi, Belagavi Session, Belgaum, BJP, Congress, Cow Slaughter Prevention Bill, Jagadish Shettar, Karnataka

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