Building a bull market

Karnataka’s ban on cattle slaughter has given new impetus to the mission to build sustainable cattle-intensive businesses

- PRATHIMA NANDAKUMAR

ON DECEMBER 9, 2020, Karnataka Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan tabled the Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill in the lower house of the state legislature. While the legislative assembly passed the bill, the upper house, the legislative council, stalled it. Undeterred, the government issued an ordinance on December 28, banning slaughter of “cow, calf of a cow, bull, bullock, and he or she buffalo below the age of 13 years”. Violations will now attract imprisonment for three to seven years and penalties of ₹50,000 to ₹7 lakh. Repeat offenders will have to pay higher penalties up to ₹10 lakh.

For the BJP, the new law is a fulfilment of an old poll promise. The opposition Congress, however, has described the ordinance as “communal” and “politically motivated”. Cow protection groups say the law would discourage cattle theft, smuggling and illegal slaughter houses. Critics say it would lead to social conflict and saddle the farmer with “unproductive” cattle.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said the bill was intended to create “communal tensions” and cause suffering to dalits and Other Backward Classes. He dared the Union government to enforce a similar law across the country, including in Kerala, Goa and the northeast, where a large number of people consume beef. The former chief minister, however, seems to be isolated within his party, the Congress. Not many Congress leaders have criticised the ordinance; perhaps they do not want to anger voters who regard the cow as sacred.