The Karnataka legislative assembly went ahead and passed an anti-cow slaughter bill on Wednesday. This anti-slaughter bill is meant to prohibit the illegal sale, purchase and transportation and slaughtering of cows including calf, cow and buffalo.The bill has been passed by the state’s BJP government and is formally known as the Slaughter and Prevention of Cattle Bill, 2020 following in the lines of Uttar Pradesh.
The passing of the bill and the decision of the Karnataka legislative assembly has not got down too well with the Opposition in the state and parties such as the Congress have disapproved of it. The Congress party was upset with the legislative assembly for having passed this law to an extent that it staged a walkout of the members to register its protest against the passing of the bill in the assembly. The new law has introduced strict and stringent punishment which includes provisions like a imprisonment of upto three years and a minimum fine of Rs 50,000 which can be extended by five lakhs.
Through the legislation, the government and the concerned authorities will now have the permission to insect and seize the vehicles that are being used by one to transport the cattle to the place where they are being taken for slaughter. This law bans the transport of cattle inside Karnataka and bans the transport of cattle from Karnataka to other states.
Transportation of cattle is only allowed after due permission is taken and failing this, the police and the concerned authorities are free to arrest and detain individuals caught evading the law. The legislation also empowers the police to inspect and seize vehicles that transport cattle and the premises where the cattle is slaughtered.
If transportation of cattle is found to be taking place without the permission of the competent authorities and against the payment of fee, incase the purpose is to use cattle for agricultural or animal husbandry activities. What makes the bill interesting is that while making restrictions on the movement of cattle and making its transportation punishable under law, it doesn’t say anything to mean that the consumption of beef too is prohibited in the state.
The bill makes the provision for allowing the slaughtering of buffaloes aged above 13 years, cattle that have caught an incurable disease or slaughtering for experimental and research purposes.
Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa said that institutions and cattle homes will be built across Karnataka to shelter cattle that has been seized.
Let us not forget that the BJP had gone ahead and introduced the anti-cow slaughter bill in 2010 to prevent the illegal transportation, sale, purchase and consumption of beef and had made the consumption of beef not only punishable but also illegal. But the bill had to be shelved because it didn’t get the Governor’s consent for being passed.
