Assam approves bill to regulate cattle slaughter, transport, sale of beef
ASSEMBLY PASSED THE BILL THROUGH A VOICE VOTE AFTER OPPOSITION MEMBERS STAGED A WALKOUT
GUWAHATI: The Assam assembly on Friday passed a controversial legislation regulating the transportation and slaughter of all cattle, and sale of beef and beef products in the state. Though the bill does not ban the beef business, experts said it virtually shuts all doors on running it in the state.
The definition of cattle, as per the bill, includes all cow genus, including bull, calf and heifer. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed the House that buffaloes will be exempted from provisions of the Bill.
Cattle slaughter is permitted in Assam with certain procedural conditions, as is the sale and consumption of beef.
The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, was passed through a voice vote after opposition members, who wanted the Bill to be sent to a Select Committee, staged a walkout.
The legislation bans interstate transport of cows through Assam, ostensibly to control their smuggling to neighbouring Bangladesh. It also bans transport of cattle from other states through Assam, and from any place within Assam to places outside the state “where slaughter of cattle is not regulated by law”. The bill also bans the sale of beef in areas with a predominant population of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and other non-beef-eating communities, or within a radius of 5km of any temple, ‘satra’ (Vaishnavite monastery) “or other religious institutions belonging to Hindu religion”.
Violations of the provisions could lead to imprisonment for three to eight years and fine between ₹3 lakh and ₹5 lakh.
“Data shows that most of the cases of communal tension in Lower Assam in the past few years are related to beef. The provisions of the Bill will lead to communal harmony as it would allow those who consume beef to eat it with some restrictions and also respect the sentiments of non-beef eating communities...,” Sarma said.
“Communal harmony can prevail only when Muslims respect sentiments of Hindus as much as Hindus respect the sentiments of Muslims,” he added.
The Opposition suggested 76 amendments to the Bill including, removal of restrictions on interdistrict transportation of cattle, relaxation of the ban on slaughter of cattle within a 5km radius of temples and satras, and the removal of strict penalties such as eight-year imprisonment and heavy fines for violators.
Its leaders also contended that the state will lose revenue since the cattle trade in Assam is worth ₹20,000 crores annually.
“The proposed bill in its present form can lead to various problems for people associated with cattle trade, beef products and business in cattle skin etc. I propose that it should be sent to a select committee...,” said Congress legislature party leader Debabrata Saikia.
Experts say the bill “targeted at a particular community”. “It is extremely worrying that at a time when human lives are in peril due to Covid-19, the government is more focussed on protecting cows... the Bill is targeted at a particular community and has a communal angle. It’s an out and out political move...,” said Akhil Ranjan Dutta, political science professor at Gauhati University.