In a step further, Kerala government has decided to legally challenge the Centre's new rules on cattle trade for slaughter.
The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting on Wednesday chaired by the Chief Minister. The cabinet meeting also decided to convene a special session of the Assembly to discuss actions to bypass the Union Government's ban on cattle trade for slaughter.
The Chief Minister in a press meet said that the Union Government have no right to bring in new provisions in an existing law. “It is a clear violation of constitutional rights to bring in provisions in the already existing law provisions. Also the slaughter of cattle doesn’t come under the purview of the Parliament," he said.
"It comes as the 15th item of the State List 2, in the 7th list of the constitution. Killing of cows have been banned in some states, but in some other states it is legal. The Union Government issued the ban under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 19760. But even in the law, there is no restriction to kill animals to be used as food for human beings," he said.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala in the morning wrote to the Chief Minister seeking to hold special session of the Assembly, to bring in a legislation to bypass the ban of sale of cattle for slaughtering.
“Around five lakh people in Kerala are working in the cattle trade. In a year, trade to the tune of Rs 6,552 crore is done in the sector. The Centre’s ban is an encroachment into the rights of the state in a federal system, and on the right to choose food,” the letter said.
Kerala has taken a stern stand against the Union Government's ban. The Chief Minister had said that the state don’t need lessons from Delhi (Union Government) or Nagpur (RSS headquarters) on what the people should eat.
He had also said that the Central Government's rules on cattle slaughter and trade are part of the Centre’s effort to further RSS agenda in the country. “The Sangh Parivar unleashed violence in many parts of the country in the name of protesting against cow slaughter," he had said.
Beef fests were held in various parts of the state by the Youth Wing organisations of the CPI (M), both the Left and Congress parties, which saw participation of scores of people. Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday had written to fellow Chief Ministers urging them to protest against the government’s ban.