CHENNAI: Strongly condemning the Centre’s ban on cattle sale for slaughter, seven opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, including DMK, Congress and the Left, on Tuesday appealed to the general public to rise against the ‘bid to force a monolithic culture.’ They vowed to organise protests jointly and separately against the prohibition.
The leaders – M K Stalin (DMK), S Thirunavukkarasar (Congress), G Ramakrishnan (CPI-M), R Mutharasan (CPI), Thol Thirumavalavan (VCK), K M Kader Mohideen (IUML) and M H Jawahirullah (MMK), issued a joint statement here.
“The arbitrary move of the Centre issuing a notification on a subject that is in the State list smacks of ignoring the rights of the States, besides disrespecting the democratic conventions by sidestepping the policy decision making bodies, legislature and Parliament,” it said.
Stating that the ban on cattle sale for slaughter would result in ‘financial loss’ to farmers, the leaders wondered as to whether the Centre wanted the distressed farmers continue to commit suicide and also crashing of the rural economy.
The decision of the Centre crushes the right to choose food, they said. “This is nothing but manifestation of a cultural dictatorship forcing a monolithic culture”, the opposition leaders said and called upon the Tamil Nadu government to break its silence on the issue.