Incidentally, the new Karnataka anti-slaughter bill is stricter than the Maharashtra beef ban, which allows the slaughter of buffalo.
The Karnataka government hastily passed the Karnataka 2020 Killing Prevention and Livestock Preservation Bill in the State Assembly on Wednesday, even as the opposition Congress and JD (S) strongly opposed it. Subject to approval of the bill by the Legislative Council and subsequently signed by the Governor, beef as a food of choice will no longer be legal in the state, although buffalo meat (buffalo meat) will be available under certain conditions. .
READ | Karnataka Assembly Passes Strict Law Against Cow Slaughter Amid Uproar
In addition to denying citizens the choice of food, the proposed law has far-reaching social and economic implications.
Difference from existing law
According to the draft of the new law, the slaughter of all cattle is prohibited: cow, calf, bull, ox. The only exception is that the slaughter of a male or female buffalo over 13 years of age will be allowed. The penalty for any other slaughter will range from Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakhs per animal and from three to seven years in prison, according to the draft. In another controversial provision, the law gives the police search and seizure powers on the basis of “reason to believe” that cattle are being sold, bought or disposed of for slaughter.
The current Karnataka Law for the Prevention of the Slaughter of Cows and the Conservation of Livestock of 1964 had prohibited the slaughter of buffalo cows and calves. However, the law had allowed the slaughter of bulls, oxen, buffalo, male or female, if the animal was over 12 years old or if it was unable to breed, draft or give milk due to injury, deformity or any other cause . .
But the new draft allows for the slaughter of any livestock (except buffaloes over 13 years old) for experimental or research purposes only, such as vaccines or sera. Livestock can be slaughtered if certified by a licensed veterinarian in the interest of public health, and if the animal suffers from a disease and is considered contagious or dangerous to other animals.
Incidentally, the new Karnataka Killing Bill is stricter than the Maharashtra beef ban, which allows the killing of buffalo. The BJP government in Maharashtra had in 2015 banned the slaughter of bulls and oxen (as well as cows and calves).
How the bill affects farmers
Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha President Kodihalli Chandrashekar said the bill is anti-farmer and has been drafted with electoral politics in mind.
“Livestock and agriculture go hand in hand. When a cow or a buffalo stops producing milk, the farmers sell it. Now we have to take care of him until he dies. If cattle produce male calves, we generally sell them. Now we cannot do that and this will add to existing agricultural costs. How many loans can we take? ” I ask.
He added: “This bill was passed only to appease the BJP electorate. We condemn this government measure. “
‘Ironic when India is the biggest beef exporter’
Speaking to TNM, former congressional deputy and spokesperson VS Ugrappa said that the introduction of the bill itself was unnecessary because a law already exists. He said that if the bill becomes law, the party will consider moving to court to challenge it.
“Since 1964, there is already a cow protection law in Karnataka, so what is the need to present such a bill now? Second, the Supreme Court has made it clear, in cases related to Bihar and Gujarat, that cows and bulls that are over 15 years old and are not useful for agriculture or milking can be sold by farmers to slaughterhouses. ” he told TNM.
Ugrappa added that it is ironic that the BJP is advocating a ban on beef while India is one of the largest exporters of beef worldwide. “If they really want to stop it, the Union government has to take a position to stop these meat exports. Most importantly, most of these exporters are from Gujarat and followers of Amit Shah and Modi, ”he said.
He added that article 19 of the Constitution guarantees the citizens of India the choice of profession and way of life (animal husbandry) and with this law they are taking them away immediately. He further said: “The BJP should have applied its mind regarding the Indian agricultural economy. I am also a rancher, we have oxen and if they are useless we sell them at low prices and add some money to buy younger bulls. Now what will a farmer do with a useless cow or bull? So this government is trying to influence extreme religious sentiments with this political stunt. Otherwise, there is no scientific reason or application of mind in this bill. “
He noted: “It is also a food option for some as it is often cheap and nutritious at the same time. Now, tomorrow, if the government says you can’t eat rice, will it be okay? Even pork and fish are also symbols of God according to religious texts, so will the government now ban that too?
‘Offer to corporatize agriculture’
Vinay Sreenivasan, a Bengaluru-based advocate and activist, said the bill was unnecessary at a time when the state was going through many crises.
He said: “This bill will lead to further corporatization of agriculture in the state. This is in line with all other farm laws that are being demolished by the state and Union government. And it has nothing to do with Hindu sentiment or things like that. The practice of farmers selling their livestock for slaughter has been around for years. This law takes away livestock from farmers, especially in times of drought and floods. This is nothing more than an attack on farmers by the state government and the Union in favor of the corporatization of agricultural practices. Furthermore, we are going through an inflationary crisis, and beef is the cheapest form of protein and this law takes away the right of anyone who wants to eat it ”.
Vinay added: “Look at the search and seizure provisions, it gives anyone with a rank higher than a deputy inspector the right to search on suspicion. This is draconian and a means of criminalizing Muslims, Dalits and other minorities for their food choices. “
He further said that this is a diversionary tactic by the government when they have failed to deliver basic governance to the people. He noted that ASHA workers have not been paid their wages and malnutrition has increased across the state since the shutdown. He also said that the government is not paying attention to pertinent issues such as informal sector workers unable to pay rent or school fees for their children.
Congress protests
While the content of the bill itself is controversial and opposition parties have strongly opposed it, the way the bill was introduced was also controversial.
The president of the Karnataka state Congress and former minister, DK Shivakumar, also said that the bill was not part of the day’s agenda as discussed in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) headed by the president, and the government had assured that no new bills would be introduced.
“We were thinking that what was decided in the BAC would be followed. This is a violation, this government has no manners. They did not give us copies of the invoices. Even the Minister did not have the invoice. This has happened through pressure from the government. This goes against our parliamentary system of democracy. They have no faith in this democracy or in the Constitution, ”said former chief minister and opposition leader Siddaramaiah. The party has also threatened to boycott the next session of the Assembly.
(With input from Theja Ram and Prajwal Bhat)
Read: Karnataka government BJP to discuss beef ban and anti-cow slaughter laws
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