Cattle slaughter ban: Mamata calls it 'undemocratic', Vijayan writes to all CMs

Facing strong political backlash and apprehending a legal challenge to its decision to ban the sale of cattle, including buffaloes, for slaughter, the Centre indicated on Monday that it is reconsidering the notification on Livestock Market Rules. The state governments of West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry came out strongly against the regulation on Monday, and termed it as an intrusion into the federal structure of the country. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took the lead against the move and, on Monday, wrote to his counterparts across the country, which comes on the back of his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Senior environment ministry officials confirmed on Monday that after they received objections against the notification over the past few days, they will revisit it to arrive at a 'final view'. On May 23, the environment ministry had notified the Livestock Rules, following a Supreme Court order and on the grounds of preventing illegal cattle trade and cruelty. It also banned the sale of cattle for slaughter in animal markets, and also included buffaloes in the definition of cattle.

This has kicked up a row in West Bengal, Kerala and the north-eastern states, as they permit cow slaughter. It has also peeved the buffalo meat exports industry, which is worth US $4 billion per annum. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Vijayan, found a common voice and came out to slam the Centre's regulation.

Banerjee termed the move as "unconstitutional" and "an attempt to encroach into state's

powers". She said that her government will challenge it legally. Meanwhile, in Kerala, Vijayan took a jibe at the BJP on the issue and said his government is mulling a new legislation to bypass the Centre's regulation.

"What we eat cannot be decided by Delhi or Nagpur. The state government will give all facilities to people to have the food of their choice. There is no need for Keralites to learn it from anybody in New Delhi or Nagpur," Vijayan said, taking aim at the Centre and Nagpur-based RSS. Vijayan's statements came on the back of fierce student body agitations against the beef ban. Left student bodies and Youth Congress have organised beef festivals on the streets of the Kerala in protest.

In fact, Youth Congress leaders publicly slaughtered an ox on Saturday as part of their protests against the Centre's decisions. The incident drew ire from the ruling BJP and even Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi condemned the incident on Sunday. Following Gandhi's criticism of the act, Kerala unit of Congress party suspended three Youth Congress leaders, including Rijil Makkutty and they have also been booked under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

Even as it suspended its youth leaders, the Congress party questioned BJP on its decision. "Nobody, not even the government, has the right to interfere in the private lives of people as to what they eat and what they don't," said Congress party's communication in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Monday.

The protests in Bengal and Kerala resonated even in Telangana and Tamil Nadu. In Telangana, Animal Husbandry minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav called the ban a "draconian"move. The Telaganana government has hinted that it will appeal to Centre to lift the ban. In Tamil Nadu, a group of 80 students from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, organised a beef festival on campus in protest.

Among the politicians from the state, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam President MK Stalin is set to lead the charge against the Centre's move during a protest on May 31. The party said that dietary choices are the fundamental right of citizens that had been "snatched away" by the Centre.

...& ANALYSIS

• What the Act prohibits is only the "infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering" when animals are consumed. Such legal infirmities are bound to be challenged in court.
   
• The Centre must address the concerns of those who feel the ban is a Machiavellian plot to curb food choices.