COIMBATORE: Expressing shock and anger over the latest rules banning the sale of cattle in the market for slaughter, activists and farmers on Friday said it would not just affect the livelihood of meat suppliers and farmers but also spur cattle smuggling. They also saw in the rules the Centre’s attempt to indirectly push its Hindutva agenda.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests on Friday unveiled the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of livestock markets) rules, 2017, which says cattle - bovines, including bulls, bullocks, cows, buffalos, steers, heifers, calves and camels – can be sold only after verifying that the purchaser is an agriculturist. Also the animals can be bought only for the purpose of agriculture.
Since India is an important player in leather industry and ilargest beef exporter, the rules would affect economy and livelihood of those dependent on cattle meat and skin, said Nimmathi Ismail, president, beef merchants’ association.
The order is more like banning cow slaughter rather than regulating illegal market, he said, and wondered how would merchants would now source cattle for slaughter.
“The rules would push up the price of beef and act as fodder for the illegal markets,” warned Punam Parekh, an animal activist.
“In a situation where the scarcity of fodder and water is huge due to drought, how would the farmers manage their cattle?” questioned P M Venkatachalapathy, secretary of the farmers’ discussion group. Farmers in distress are left with no other option than to send the cattle to slaughter houses, he added.
In Erode, K V Ponnaiyan, president, TN farmers’ association for sustainable agriculture, described the new restrictions as an attack on rural economy. He said the BJP-led government has started thrusting Hindutva on all sections of the society.