A special session of the Assembly on Thursday registered its strong protest against the May 23 notification issued by the Centre banning sale of cattle meant for slaughter at animal markets.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who moved a motion to bring out the grave situation that has arisen in the State following the ban on slaughter and the curbs on inter-State movement of cattle, said the notification on the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Market) Rules, 2017, went against the basic tenets of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, an infringement on State’s rights, would upset the federal system and a misuse of its powers for framing rules.
The notification had deprived a means of livelihood to legions of people and curbs had been imposed on their right to eke out a living by doing a job. This would affect the agriculture economy of the State and free trade of cattle. As many as 15 lakh heads of cattle reach the State annually and now inter-State movement of cattle had been impeded.
This would have a direct bearing on job and food security. About 95% of the people in the State consume meat. Curbs on meat sale would deprive the poor and the impoverished of protein food and lead to price rise of chicken, fish, and vegetables.
As many as five-lakh people depend on meat trade in the State. The State earned Rs.6,552 crore annually through sale of meat. The stipulations of the notification were inimical to the interests of such people as well as farmers and also the common man. This would affect milk production and thwart the efforts of the State to attain self-sufficiency in milk production.
Once cattle rearing turns out to be unprofitable, farmers would be forced to eschew it and that would have serious economic implications. The notification is aimed at protecting the interests of major exporters and corporate companies that have animal farms and meat processing units. Skin and leather trade too will have to bear the brunt of the restrictions. Being a State issue, neither the Centre nor Parliament reserved any right to regulate it.
The notification smacks of a secret agenda of the Sangh Parivar. The NDA government that failed to make any progress in honouring its commitments in agriculture, industries and job generation, was now attempting to divide people on communal lines. This needed to be addressed seriously, he said.
