State Cabinet decides to promulgate ordinance to ban cow slaughter

Bengaluru: After facing hurdles in the Legislative Council to its proposal to ban cow slaughter, the B.S. Yediyurappa Cabinet on Monday decided to promulgate an ordinance to give effect to the Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill (2020). The ordinance will be sent to the Governor for approval after which it will become a law.

"The BJP government is committed to putting an end to the illegal transportation and slaughter of cows. Towards this end, an ordinance will be promulgated. Cow is revered in our culture and is a major source of income for farmers," said Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan.

Once the ordinance gets nod from the governor, sale, illegal transportation or culling of cows will be punishable.

"If a cow has contracted a disease which can spread to other cattle, it can be culled/slaughtered," Law Minister JC Madhuswamy stated.

Cow slaughter will attract an imprisonment of up to three to five years in addition to a fine ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh.

A police officer above the rank of sub-inspector, if he has reason to believe that an offence under this Act has been committed, can inspect any premises and conduct a search.

Mr Madhuswamy said that the anti-cow slaughter law is not new but existed for decades. He clarified that there is no ban on beef consumption as the prohibition is not extended to buffaloes.

"Earlier, there was a ban on the slaughter of cows aged up to thirteen years. We have extended it with the intention that older cows should not be abandoned. Since the prohibition does not extend to buffaloes, there is no ban on beef consumption," Madhuswamy said, briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting.

Once the ordinance becomes a law the slaughter of bulls, bullocks and buffaloes will be allowed provided they are above 12 years of age, or are no longer fit for breeding or do not yield milk.

The Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation (Amendment) Bill was passed in the State Assembly, but it had hit a road block in the Legislative Council where Chairman Pratapchandra Shetty of the Congress adjourned the house sine die. The BJP government's move a couple of weeks ago to pass the bill in the Council witnessed a lot of drama and tension when Deputy Chairman Dharmegowda of JD(S) tried to occupy the Chair and Congress members forcibly removed him leading to pandemonium in the house. Chairman Pratapchandra Shetty adjourned the Council sine die putting paid to the BJP government's bid to have the bill passed in the upper house.

Against this backdrop, Yediyurappa government has decided to promulgate an ordinance.

Expressing concern over the decline in the number of cows year after year, Prabhu Chauhan called on everyone to rise above politics to work towards the growth of the states cattle assets.

"Opposing the Bill just for the sake of politics and misleading the public is intolerable," he said.

Citing the 2019 cattle census, Chauhan said 2.38 lakh cows are slaughtered every year.

Even a day's delay would lead to slaughter of 662 cows, he said.

"If it continues at this pace, we aren't far away from a time when cows will only be read about in books. Stopping illegal transportation and slaughtering is our priority," the Animal Husbandry Minister said. Despite resistance from the opposition, the then BJP government led by B S Yediyurappa in 2010 had got the controversial Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill passed, that proposed to replace the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964.

The bill had widened the definition of 'cattle' and imposed a blanket ban on cattle slaughter, coupled with stringent penalty clauses for violation.

However, the Siddaramaiah headed Congress government that came to power in 2013 withdrew the bill that was before the President for his assent.

After BJP came back to power in the State, several party leaders have been making a pitch to re-enact the anti-cow slaughter law.

Chauhan, along with officials, had even travelled to Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat to study and gather information on implementation of the laws there, before bringing the 2020 bill to assembly earlier this month.

Once the ordinance gets nod from the governor, sale, illegal transportation or culling of cows will be punishable.

"If a cow has contracted a disease which can spread to other cattle, it can be culled/slaughtered," Law Minister JC Madhuswamy stated.

Cow slaughter will attract an imprisonment of up to three to five years in addition to a fine ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh.

A police officer above the rank of sub-inspector, if he has reason to believe that an offence under this Act has been committed, can inspect any premises and conduct a search.

Mr Madhuswamy said that the anti-cow slaughter law is not new but existed for decades. He clarified that there is no ban on beef consumption as the prohibition is not extended to buffaloes.

"Earlier, there was a ban on the slaughter of cows aged up to thirteen years. We have extended it with the intention that older cows should not be abandoned. Since the prohibition does not extend to buffaloes, there is no ban on beef consumption," Madhuswamy said, briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting.

Once the ordinance becomes a law the slaughter of bulls, bullocks and buffaloes will be allowed provided they are above 12 years of age, or are no longer fit for breeding or do not yield milk.

The Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation (Amendment) Bill was passed in the State Assembly, but it had hit a road block in the Legislative Council where Chairman Pratapchandra Shetty of the Congress adjourned the house sine die. The BJP government's move a couple of weeks ago to pass the bill in the Council witnessed a lot of drama and tension when Deputy Chairman Dharmegowda of JD(S) tried to occupy the Chair and Congress members forcibly removed him leading to pandemonium in the house. Chairman Pratapchandra Shetty adjourned the Council sine die putting paid to the BJP government's bid to have the bill passed in the upper house.

Against this backdrop, Yediyurappa government has decided to promulgate an ordinance.

Expressing concern over the decline in the number of cows year after year, Prabhu Chauhan called on everyone to rise above politics to work towards the growth of the states cattle assets.

"Opposing the Bill just for the sake of politics and misleading the public is intolerable," he said.

Citing the 2019 cattle census, Chauhan said 2.38 lakh cows are slaughtered every year.

Even a day's delay would lead to slaughter of 662 cows, he said.

"If it continues at this pace, we aren't far away from a time when cows will only be read about in books. Stopping illegal transportation and slaughtering is our priority," the Animal Husbandry Minister said. Despite resistance from the opposition, the then BJP government led by B S Yediyurappa in 2010 had got the controversial Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill passed, that proposed to replace the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964.

The bill had widened the definition of 'cattle' and imposed a blanket ban on cattle slaughter, coupled with stringent penalty clauses for violation.

However, the Siddaramaiah headed Congress government that came to power in 2013 withdrew the bill that was before the President for his assent.

After BJP came back to power in the State, several party leaders have been making a pitch to re-enact the anti-cow slaughter law.

Chauhan, along with officials, had even travelled to Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat to study and gather information on implementation of the laws there, before bringing the 2020 bill to assembly earlier this month.