Karnataka minister for Animal Husbandry Prabhu Chauhan met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Thursday and had a meeting regarding the state’s anti-cattle slaughter law. Chauhan who is on a three-day visit to Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, told TNM that he is studying how Karnataka can make the existing law against cow slaughter more stringent.
“I have come to Uttar Pradesh and will be visiting Gujarat to study their model of the anti-cow slaughter bill to ensure that in the upcoming Winter session of Karnataka assembly. I had a long and fruitful meeting with the UP CM and he expressed his happiness that Katnataka too will bring in a stringent law against cow slaughter. We will bring in the first of its kind historic bill in the state. We are doing this for animal protection. I will return to Bangalore on 4 December and by seventh of this month I will table the bill,” Chauhan told TNM.
Karnataka already has an law against cow slaughter--Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964.--but the BJP had attempted to strengthen it in their previous tenure as well. While it was passed in the Assembly, the then Union Government under UPA 2 had rejected the bill and the consequent Siddaramiah-led Congress Government had withdrawn the bill. Chauhan said that the current government intends to bring more animals under the ambit of definition of cattle, impose a blanket ban on their slaughter and also impose heftier fines for violation.
“The existing bill is from 1964 and not strong enough. I do not want to divulge more without studying. I am here to study steps to control cow slaughter, what cattle to include etc. I visited several Gau Shalas and met with several officials as well,” Chauhan added.
The proposed bill has already found resistance with the Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah already announcing an agitation against it in the Assembly as well as on streets. But Chauhan said that will not deter the government.
“As Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah will do his job to try to stop the bill but we will do our job. We have declared that we will bring a stronger anti-cow slaughter bill. In 2010 we had cleared a similar bill but the then Congress government at the Centre had made excuses to return the bill and not approve it. Now that our government is in power in keeping with the wishes of the people particularly Hindus and seers we will go ahead and bring in a law what can the opposition do? At most they can boycott the assembly and walk out and in that time we will ensure we pass the bill,” Chauhan said as he travels to Gujarat to study their model of the law.