The government said in the Assembly on Monday that it was mulling over introducing an amendment to the ban on cattle slaughter to exclude bovines infected with diseases such as brucellosis. The State government had introduced a bill to ban the slaughter of bulls and bullocks three years ago.
Arjun Khotkar, Minister of State for Animal Husbandry and Shiv Sena leader, while replying to a query raised during the Question Hour in the Assembly, said that the government would explore the possibility of bringing about the change in the ban.
Members of the Assembly had raised concern over the spread of brucellosis, a bacterial disease transmitted from animals to humans through the ingestion of milk or meat and close contact with infected animals. Mr. Khotkar said over 1,47,568 calves in Nagpur had been vaccinated to stop the spread of the disease.
Leader of the Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said, “The problem is that since this government banned the slaughter of bovines, it has become difficult to stem the spread of the disease. Will the government introduce an amendment to allow the slaughter of such infected animals?”
In 2015, the State government passed a law banning the slaughter of bulls, bullocks and calves. Only water buffaloes were exempted from being slaughtered. The law made it a non-bailable offence to slaughter cattle and the punishment for offenders was raised from imprisonment from six months to five years.
‘Stop harassment’
Meanwhile, Waris Pathan, Byculla MLA and member of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), said activists of the Bajrang Dal and police officials were conducting raids on butcher shops in South Mumbai to check whether they were selling beef.
Mr. Pathan said, “The shops sell water buffalo meat, which is permissible. But shopkeepers are being constantly harassed. Such raids may lead to law and order problems. The government must take serious note of these incidents and take appropriate action.”
