The public slaughter of a domestic ox on Saturday by Youth Congress (YC) activists in protest against the Central government's notification banning sale of cattle for slaughter has kicked up a row with the police registering a case against YC workers who were involved in the act.
The YC workers led by Rijil Makutty, YC Kannur Parliament Constituency Committee president, had the animal slaughtered in the residential Kannur city area amid slogans against the Narendra Modi government. The protesters had distributed the meat among local people.
The animal slaughter was condemned by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan in his comment on Twitter said: ‘‘Cruelty at its peak. Cattle slaughtering by Youth Congress activists in broad day light, in front of the public gathering.’’ He also posted the video of the slaughter.
The Kannur city police said that it had registered a case against Mr. Makutty and others for slaughtering the animal in public. The case was registered under Section 120-A of the Kerala Police Act. The police registered the case on a complaint by a BJP functionary here. The police said that it was a bailable offence.
Mr. Makutty, who inaugurated the protest on Saturday, said the cattle had been slaughtered in public and its meat distributed at the venue as a mark of protest against the Central government decision which he said was a barbaric decision that infringed on the right of citizens to have food of their choice.
The protest was a response to the move to enforce Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's agenda in the country, he said adding that the notification issued during the Ramzan fasting season was meant to target a religious community.
