Subramanian Swamy bill seeks death penalty for cow slaughter

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy  (Source: PTI Photo/File)

BJP member Subramanian Swamy introduced in Rajya Sabha Friday a private member’s bill proposing “deterrent punishment”, including the death penalty, for cow slaughter and related issues. The Cow Protection Bill, 2017, seeks “to create an authority to ensure stabilisation of population of cows and to suggest such measures to comply with Article 37 and 48 of the Constitution, to ban the slaughter of cow and to provide deterrent punishment including death penalty for slaughter of cow and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto”.

Article 37 says the provisions of Directive Principles are not enforceable by any court and emphasises the duty of the state to apply these principles in making laws to establish a just society. Article 48 mandates the state to prohibit the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.

In parliamentary history, only one private member’s bill has become a law. While scores of private members’ bills are introduced each session, they are invariably withdrawn by the respective members after the government gives its views on those subjects.