NEW DELHI: The CPI(M) today attacked the Centre over its notification curbing cattle slaughter, terming the move as an attempt at giving "legal cover" to the government's "wholly communal agenda" to impose a diet code on the country.
Claiming the decision will "destroy" the livelihood of crores of the country's farmers and affect the leather industry, the Left party insisted the government withdraw the move. The CPI(M) also alleged that the notification was an "encroachment" on the rights of the states under whose jurisdiction such issues fall.
"The notification is an atrocious attempt by the Modi government to give legal cover for its wholly communal and divisive agenda to impose a diet code on the country," CPI(M) Politburo said in a statement. "The CPI(M) strongly condemns and opposes the notification and demands its withdrawal," it added.
The Centre has banned the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter, a move that is expected to hit export and trade of meat and leather.
It also prohibited practices that are cruel to animals including painting of horns and putting ornaments or decorative materials on them.
The environment ministry has notified the stringent 'Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017' under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.