Karnataka’s cabinet took the ordinance route on Monday to enforce the strict anti-slaughter law in the state, after the government failed to introduce it to the Legislative Council in the recently concluded legislative session. “As Congress sabotaged the session at Vidhana Parishad, the bill could not be passed. But, BJP is adamant in protecting cows, so the bill has been implemented through an ordinance. ”
“The cow occupies a prominent place in the culture of our country and is the backbone of a farmer’s livelihood. The decrease in the number of cows from one year to the next is worrying. In this condition, if we forget our differences and come to protect to our cows, we can protect the animal wealth of our state. Only in political interest, opposing the bill to create a wrong image among the people is not correct, “he added.
It should be recalled that the Karnataka bill for the prevention of slaughter and the preservation of livestock, 2020, was approved by the State Assembly on December 9 without any discussion, despite vocal opposition from Congress and the JD (S ). However, to become law, the bill also had to be approved by the Legislative Council. But unlike the Assembly, the ruling BJP does not have favorable numbers on the Council. While the BJP has 31 MLC (Legislative Council Member), Congress and JD (S) have 29 and 14 MLC respectively.
With the law now passed as an ordinance awaiting the Governor’s approval, it must be reviewed by the Council within six weeks, where the bill has yet to be introduced. Otherwise, the law will not exist. However, the government can pass a new ordinance.
It should be remembered that the former Chief Minister and leader of JD (S) HD Kumaraswamy in an interview with TNM had confirmed that his party will not support the approval of the bill. Since the BJP lacks a majority in the upper house of the state legislature, the support of the JD (S) was crucial to the ruling BJP.
The new law prohibits the slaughter of all types of cattle: cows, calves, bulls, oxen, with the exception of male or female buffalo over 13 years of age. The penal provisions of the law state that the punishment for it will result in a fine of Rs 50,000 to 10 lakhs per animal and three to seven years in prison. Importantly, the law also allows the police to conduct searches and seizures based on the suspicion that livestock is being sold, bought, or killed for slaughter.
Previously, TNM had reported how the bill is believed to pose a burden to small farmers in the state. Aside from Congress and the JD (S), many civil society members and peasant leaders had also opposed the bill, calling it regressive and anti-peasant.
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