Blanket ban on cow slaughter expected in Karnataka soon

Bengaluru, Dec 03: The Karnataka government is planning a stringent version of the anti-cow slaughter law that it had unsuccessfully managed to introduce in 2010.

Minister of Animal Husbandry Prabhu Chauhan is on a three day visit to Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat to study their laws and table a fresh Bill in the winter session of the legislature starting December 7. Chauhan had said that safeguarding cows in Karnataka has been one of the top priorities of the BJP. There will be a complete ban on the consumption of beef the minister also said.

The current Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act of 1964 permits the slaughter of non-milch and diseased cattle over the age of 12 years. The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill 2010 provided for a blanket ban on cow slaughter, consumption, sale and transport of beef in the state. A minimum sentence of seven years in jail was also prescribed for offenders.

The new bill is however more stringent and the violators would be dealt with more severely. According to the Bill, the slaughter of cows, calf and bull, bullock, buffalo, male or female and calf of a she-buffalo is prohibited.