Close on the heels on its neighbouring state Kerala, Karnataka government has reportedly decided to toughen its stand on the Centre's recent regulation banning sale of cattle for slaughter in animal markets.
Aravind HM reports for The Times of India, that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government is likely to approach the court against the Centre's rule.
In an interaction with reporter at Bylakuppe, the CM called the Centre's rule "an attack on food culture."
“The state government has not received a copy of the revised notification. After studying the details, we'll decide about seeking a legal remedy," he reportedly added.
Siddaramaiah's comments comes a day after Law Minister T B Jayachandra took up the matter in the state cabinet and strongly opposed the rule. Saying that it was "unconstitutional," the Law Minister had also said that the rule will not stand the test of the law.
Notably, CM Siddaramaiah's vocal opposition against the Centre's rule came on a day when the Kerala High Court observed that the new rules does not ban cattle sale or slaughter.
Dismissing a PIL, a bench of the Kerala HC remarked that the rule only bans sale and slaughter in animal markets and observed that people were free to do so at their homes or any other places. The court also expressed surprise in the recent Madurai bench of the Madras HC issuing an interim stay on the Centre's rule.
Previously, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan had written to Chief Ministers of other states, including the Congress-led Siddaramaiah government. Although Pinarayi said on Wednesday that he hasn't heard back from any of the CMs, he said that other CMs have already registered their opposition.