{ UMA BHARTI Aganges BJP LEADER
When I was a minister, my ministry in its affidavit about the dams in Uttarakhand in the Himalayas had requested that it is a very sensitive region, and, therefore, power projects should not be built on the
and its main tributaries.
BENGALURU: The Bharatiya Janata Party (Bjp)-led government in Karnataka on Monday passed the contentious anti-cattle slaughter legislation in the upper house of the state legislature even as the opposition created a ruckus against the law.
The new legislation expands the scope of an existing law to protect cattle from slaughter.
“It is an essential law to protect cattle and has been brought with people and animals, both in mind,” Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka’s home, law and parliamentary affairs minister said on Monday. The Congress tore up copies of the bill in the well of the house to protest the deputy chairman’s decision not to extend the discussions to Tuesday. The B.s.yediyurappa-led state government has already promulgated the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Ordinance that widens existing provisions for punishment on killing of cattle and offers protection to those “acting in good faith”to save them. “This is being done in good faith and I believe it will not have any major impact on anyone,” Bommai said.
He said mutton, chicken and other meat accounts for 70-75% of the meat consumed in the state, while beef accounts for around 20-25%; the numbers are unlikely to change on account of the law, he added. He estimated that around 200,000 cattle are slaughtered each year.
The new laws penalise people who slaughter cattle below the age of 13-years with a jail term of 3-5 years and fines ranging from Rs 50,000-Rs 10 lakhs.
The bill was taken up abruptly by the deputy chairman, M.k.pranesh in the middle of the question hour.
The Congress party objected to this and its legislators rushed to the well of the house, demanding that the discussion on the proposed law be taken up another day. C.m.ibrahim, a senior Congress legislator, said that there was no study, no consultation of stakeholders including farmers nor a plan for protecting cattle which cannot be sold as a result of this law. “You are (only) worried about Muslims eating (beef),” he alleged.“please do not give this bill a communal or religious colour.”
B.k.hariprasad of the Congress claimes the law is being introduced at the behest of a few right wing organizations.
The BJP partnered with the Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) to outnumber the Congress in the upper house and allow passage of this bill.
According to the agreement between the two parties the BJP will back the JD(S) for the chairmanship of the house. JD(S) legislators were present in the house, but the vote was taken amidst opposition cries against the decision.
Karnataka exported beef worth $2.5 million in 2019-20 to UAE, Qatar and other countries, according to government data.