Arunachal PCC president challenges Centre to implement cow slaughter ban in state

The Centre's move on cow slaughter ban has been opposed by Kerala, Tripura, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and other states.

Itanagar, June 1: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Takam Sanjoy on Thursday accused the Centre and state government of dictatorial paths on the issue of what to eat and what not, what to wear and what not. He challenged the Bharatiya-led National Democratic Alliance government to implement the ban on cow slaughter in Arunachal Pradesh.

"Putting a blanket ban on cow slaughter by present BJP-led NDA Govt in the Centre clearly reflected its Hindutva agenda, but would lead to disappearance of cows, the so-called Gomata of the Hindus, with time," Sanjoy told ANI

He added that a few BJP leader including Minister of Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and former governor J P Rajkhowa had compared cow with Mithun, which insulted the age-old culture, rituals and tradition of Arunachal tribals. He demanded that these persons should explain how a cow can be equated with Mithun.

Sanjoy said that tribal community in the state mostly eat meat and are supplied by mostly non-tribal traders, adding that the trade provides sustained livelihood to a mass section of people across the tribal state and a ban would hit the tribals hard and have far reaching consequences.

Sanjoy also said that the ban move by the Centre was opposed by the large section in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal, which reflects the move as being an anti-people and direct violation of human rights, adding that the move also disturbs and displaces the man-animal equation.

Earlier in May, the sale of cattle for slaughter was banned by the Central government. As per the new regulation, sale of cattle is allowed among farmland owners across India.

On May 25, the first central regulation for cow protection in the name of animal welfare was notified. The notification is significant in the wake of rising cases of violence against cow-traders. Cow slaughter is banned in states except in most parts of north-east India and Kerala.

The special section for cattle has been notified under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960. Under this section, it is said, "Take an undertaking that the animals are bought for agriculture purposes and not for slaughter."

It further states that cattle bought cannot be resold within six months impinging the business of cow traders. Cattle can be sold only to a person having documents to prove he is an 'agriculturist', the rule says.

Further, it also states that young and unfit animals cannot be sold.

What the rules state:
Further, the rules which run into 8 pages state that setting of animal markets within 50 km of an international border and 25 km from a state border is banned.

Taking animal outside the state will require special approval of the state government nominee. No animal market will now be able to run without the approval of district animal market committee to be headed by a magistrate and having two representatives of government-approved animal welfare groups.

The rules are expected to take at least 3 months to implement. There is a lot of paperwork involved in it and the cow traders across the country need to be educated about the same.

Further, the rules say that after buying a cow the trader will have to make 5 copies of proof of sale and submit them at the local revenue office, the local veterinary doctor in the district of the purchaser, animal market committee, apart from one each for seller and buyer.

It also makes it mandatory veterinary inspector to certify proper loading and unloading of animals to ensure they are not cramped inside trucks. The inspector can mark any animal unfit for sale.

The rule that makes it mandatory for the owner of the animal to bear the cost of its upkeep in a shelter. If the owner is unable to pay, it should be recovered as land arrears, the rule says. The cost will be specified by the state government every year on April 1.

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