Maharashtra beef ban: Slaughter ban only on cows and bulls, says CM Devendra Fadnavis
Mumbai, April 8: A day after the Bombay High Court asked the government that why animals like goats do not figure in its ban on cattle slaughter, there is some news which will bring relief to the people who were worried by the news.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday sought to defuse the row over the statement of the state Advocate General on cow slaughter ban, saying the beef ban will not be extended to any other meat.
The Bombay High Court on Monday mooted a licence policy by which import of meat of cows and bulls slaughtered outside the state can be permitted.
When Justice Markandey Katju opposed cow slaughter ban, gave 5 reasons to eat beef
As the purported remarks by Advocate General Sunil Manohar before the Bombay High Court that the government might consider extending the ban to other animals as well triggered a controversy, Fadnavis said that according to the law officer, his statement was "misinterpreted".
"I have spoken to Advocate General. He has said that his statement in the court yesterday has been misinterpreted," Fadnavis said in the state Assembly in Mumbai.
The Chief Minister's remarks came in the wake of the AG's response to the high court's query to the government as to why there is a ban on slaughter of cows, bulls and bullocks only and not to any other animals like goats.
Beef banned in Maharashtra! Selling or possessing beef could lead to 5 yr jail or Rs 10,000 fine
"Neither Advocate General Sunil Manohar has tabled such a view nor given any such reference," he said, adding, the government has no stand regarding a blanket ban on slaughter of animals other than cows and bulls.
Raising
the
issue
in
the
House,
members
from
BJP
ally
Shiv
Sena,
Arjun
Khotkar
and
Sunil
Prabhu,
sought
to
know
the
state's
stand
on
the
high
court's
query
to
the
government.
Earlier,
Sunil
Prabhu
(Sena)
said
the
AG's
statement
had
created
confusion
in
the
minds
of
people.
The beef ban has already sparked protests from political and cultural groups, alleging it amounted to encroachment on individual choices and eating habits of large sections of people, especially the minority communities.
Chaotic scenes were witnessed in the state Legislative Council, as Opposition and Shiv Sena members opposed the AG's statement.
After Maharashtra, beef sale banned in Haryana
Shiv Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe was the first to raise the issue that the government should clear its stand about not eating non-vegetarian food.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said the AG's statement had given the perception that the present government wants the whole of Maharashtra to be converted into a vegetarian state.
"I have an apprehension that somebody from outside, may be RSS or its ideologues, is guiding this government. What the law officer (AG) told the court yesterday had given a perception that the government wants the entire Maharashtra to be converted into vegetarian state," he said.
CPI-M's Brinda Karat said the AG's remarks were a direct "intrusion and invasion" into the food habits of people.
Tamil Nadu: Protesters feast on 'beef' biryani to protest against ban in Maharashtra
"You can persuade a person to go vegetarian but you certainly cannot put a ban on people eating non-vegetarian food," he said.
Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said the Maharashtra government should tread cautiously on the issue of banning cattle slaughter.
OneIndia News
(With inputs from agencies)