'Maharashtra Bill to ban cow slaughter to get Prez nod soon'

New Delhi, Feb 26: A long-pending Maharashtra Bill seeking a ban on cow slaughter is expected to soon receive Presidential assent, a delegation of state BJP MPs said today.

Seven MPs led by Kirit Somaiya met President Pranab Mukherjee, who indicated appropriate action on the measure soon. The legislation, entitled Maharashtra Animal Preservation Amendment Bill, 1995, was submitted for Presidential assent through a letter dated January 30, 1996.

Thereafter, several correspondences were exchanged between the state and the Centre for clarification of the effects of the implementation of the Bill on agriculture and farming.

The BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, after taking over in October last year, approved the file concerned related to pursuing the approval of the Bill.

It was then submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs on November 13 last year.

The delegation also included Anil Shirole, Gopal Shetty, Nana Patole, Kapil Patil, Sanjaykaka Patil and Sunil Gaikwad.

PTI