Cows are “officially sacred” in Assam as Assembly passes cow protection bill

GUWAHATI:

The Assam Legislative Assembly on Friday, passed the Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, aimed at regulating slaughter, consumption, and transportation of cattle in the state. The opposition parties, however, staged a walkout in protest against the government’s refusal to forward the legislation to a select committee.

The opposition parties – Congress, All IndiaUnited Democratic Front (AIUDF), and Communist Party of India (Marxist) – had urged the government to refer the Bill to the Select Committee of Assembly for vetting, but CM Sarma rejected the proposal. During his reply on a discussion on the legislation, Sarma had said that the Bill doesn’t intend to stop anybody from eating beef, but that person must also respect the religious sentiments of others.

“The government has the numbers in the Assembly so they passed the Bill by coercion. But this legislation will be spell doom for the farmers who own cattle in the state as well as the state’s economy. The farmers will be left with no option but to give away their cattle to the government and the latter have to build cow-shelters in every village,” said Rafiqul Islam, AIUDF MLA.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had tabled the bill in the Assembly on July 12 and Friday, Speaker Biswajit Daimary announced its passing amidst chants of “Jai Shree Ram” and “Bharat Mata Ki jai..” by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members.

 “Our cattle slaughter prevention bill is nothing but an improvement of what was done by the Congress government in 1950 under Chief Minister Late Gopinath Bordoloi. It has drawn inspiration from Article 48 of the Constitution of India and Gandhian philosophy,” said Sarma.

Other Northeastern states have not yet reacted to the passing of the Bill. Last month, Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma had said that he will take up the matter with the Centre if the Bill anyway affects the supply of beef to the state.

Here are some highlights of the new Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021

*The Bill "envisages imposition of a complete ban on the transport of cattle outside the state". However, there will be no restriction on ferrying cattle for agricultural purposes within a district.

*Ban on slaughter, sale, and consumption of beef in areas falling within a 5km radius of temples and monasteries.

*Cattle can be slaughtered only at licensed slaughterhouses.

*Sale of beef or beef products will not be allowed in areas where Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and other non-beef eating communities reside.

 *All offences under the Act will be cognizable and non-bailable.

*Anybody found guilty shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years or fine that may vary between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh or both.

*The legislation shall extend to the whole of Assam and the term ‘cattle’ shall apply to bulls, bullocks, cows, heifer, calves.

(Edited by Shankar Kumar Turha)

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