Ban should be extended to slaughter of cows, says VHP

The Central government has only brought in rules banning sale of cows for slaughter at animal markets. This will not help in complete ban on cow slaughter, said VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders.

VHP leader Kateel Dinesh Pai said on Tuesday that, to check the dwindling of cattle for agricultural activities, the Centre has framed rules to arrest the sale of cattle for slaughter. He urged the state government to implement the rules effectively and the Centre to ban cow slaughter at the earliest.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017, gives a provision for constitution of a district-level animal market committee that will ensure no person brings cattle to the market without furnishing a declaration signed by the owner of the cattle that the cattle has not been brought to the market for slaughter, said Pai.

Some people have been projecting consumption of beef as a food habit, but it was not so in India till recently. After ban on poaching of antelopes and peacocks, the people changed their food habits. Similarly, those who consume beef should change their food habits, he demanded.

He said that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be sent a representation to file a criminal case against Youth Congress leaders in Kerala for slaughtering cattle at a protest march.