Cow slaughter: States hold the key, says Centre

Replying to the resolution moved by Prahlad Singh Patel of the BJP, Yadav said it was a paradox that in states that had not banned cow slaughter, the population of cattle went up while the states where such a ban already exists, the cattle population decreased.

An expert committee, according to him, had been set up to look into implementation of the recommendations made by a Commission that had looked into issues relating to animals. The report of the expert committee was awaited.

Members expressed divergent views on the issue. Some favoured an outright ban, while some suggested that the issue be viewed from an economic and social angle.

Rajo Singh of the Congress felt that the government should come out with a proper bill after holding consultations with all political parties. He wanted the focus on economic and social aspects of the issue rather than its political implications.

Similar views were expressed by Bhartuhari Mehtab of the Biju Janata Dal, who said that there was a need for evolving a consensus on the issue, instead of linking it with religious sentiments.

Congress chief whip Priyaranjan Dasmunsi favoured a policy on all animals. Simranjit Singh Maan of the Akali Dal also favoured such a ban. Kharbela Swain of the BJP pointed out that the cows being slaughtered were old and diseased and were, therefore, not fit for consumption.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena, a key ally of the NDA government, today demanded that cow be declared the national animal and its slaughter be totally banned. Addressing the media here, Shiv Sena MP Anant Gude said to protest against cow slaughter, 50,000 shiv sainiks from Madhya Pradesh will hold a demonstration in the capital on December 3. Alleging that the number of slaughter houses in the country were increasing manifold, he claimed that five lakh cows were being slaughtered in India every year.