As BJP protests, Siddaramaiah says will discuss relook at total ban on cow slaughter

“They (the BJP) amended it once. We reverted it to the earlier provisions. They have amended it again. We will discuss it in the Cabinet meeting,” the CM said.

The BJP held protests in parts of the state Monday against the statement made by Venkatesh last week, responding to media queries, that though the government had not taken a call on the legislation yet, they would discuss it and take a decision.

“What the BJP did was they allowed the slaughter of bulls and buffaloes, but banned the slaughter of cows… If bulls and buffaloes can be slaughtered, why not cows?” Venkatesh said.

BJP leaders, including former CM Basavaraj Bommai, had criticised the remarks. “Minister Venkatesh has made this statement to appease whom? Does he want his portfolio changed or is it to please the high command?” Bommai said.

The BJP threatened to launch a statewide agitation if provisions of the Act were tampered with.

The 1964 law had banned the killing of “any cow or calf of she-buffalo”, but allowed the slaughter of bullock, buffalo-male or female if it was certified by a competent authority to be above 12 years of age or incapacitated for breeding or deemed sick.

Under the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, passed in 2020, cattle were designated as “cow, calf of a cow and bull, bullock and he or she buffalo”, and their slaughter banned. The only exemptions under the Act are for buffaloes above the age of 13 and certified by a competent authority as fit for slaughter.