Citizens to govt: Do not enter our kitchens

The Maharashtra government’s application in the Supreme Court asking for police action against those bringing beef from outside the state has not gone down well with citizens.

The state government wants the Supreme Court to reinstate a rule in the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act that allow the police to prosecute those with meat from cows, bullocks and buffaloes slaughtered outside the state. The Bombay HC struck down the rule in May 2016.

“We are a law-abiding community. We will go by rules, but this is not the right way. We are sad the government wants to enter our kitchens,” said Joachim Colaco, trustee of United Christian Community Centre (UCCC).

Javed Anand, convener of Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy, said the HC judgment was reasonable. “The government wants to enforce Hindutva on other communities. There was no reason for the government to further challenge the decision,” said Anand.

On May 6, the Bombay HC struck down sections 5(d) and 9(b) of the Maharashtra Animals Preservation (Amendment) Act, 1995, which criminalised and imposed punishment on those found possessing beef of animals, slaughtered in or outside the state, on grounds that it infringed upon a person’s “right to privacy”. In its judgment, the court upheld the ban on slaughter of bulls and bullocks, but decriminalised possession of beef in case the animals were slaughtered outside the state.