Govt bans sale, purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter

The notification read: “No person shall bring a cattle to an animal market unless upon arrival he has furnished a written declaration signed by the owner of the cattle – stating the name and address of the owner of the cattle, with a copy of the photo identification proof. “Giving details of the identification of the cattle and stating that the cattle has not been brought to market for sale for slaughter.”

In a statement to news agency PTI, a senior official from the environment ministry said the notification is in the direction of animal welfare. As per the notification, the ‘animal market’ has been described as a market place or sale-yard to which animals are brought from other places and exposed for sale or auction and includes any lairage adjoining a market or a slaughterhouse. According to former member of the legal sub-committee of Animal Welfare Board of India N G Jayasimha, because of the present system of open markets that allow trade of both milch and slaughter animals, and multiple buyers and sellers, it becomes impossible to trace an animal back to its farm of origin.

In his statement to news agency PTI, Jayasimha was quoted as saying: “Hence, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 have been notified. The rules prohibit the sale of animals for slaughter through the livestock markets so that animals for slaughter could be sought directly from farms, thus ensuring traceability and food safety.”

The government’s decision, however, did not find favour with the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who wrote in a Facebook post that the move was an attempt to destroy the secular fabric of the country. The chief minister expressed concern that the new law extends the ban beyond cows to also include buffaloes and other bovine species. The Facebook post in Malayalam elaborated on how eating meat was not limited to certain religions and was part of traditional diet of many sections in the country. He also added that meat was essential to ensure food security across India. Vijayan also said the ban will result in thousands being pushed into unemployment and its overall impact on the large leather hide industry.

Central Govt. has proved who runs them. Cattle slaughter becomes illegal at a time when manslaughter happens in the name of cow. #BeefBan

— CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) May 26, 2017

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also criticised the Centre’s move today on Twitter When he said: “As a vegetarian i object strongly to the ban on cow slaughter. Gandhiji had objected to imposing 1’s view on others. Freedom is being eroded.”