MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Saturday urged the Centre to withdraw the ban on sale of cattle for slaughter and sacrifice in temples, saying it would destroy pluralism in India and deny minorities their rights.
In a statement, he said that already, Dalits and minorities were under attack under the BJP government, adding that the ban on propitiation of cattle in temples would cause unrest among the people.
Mr. Vaiko contended that the ban would also affect foreign exchange to the tune of ₹1 lakh crore as India was a leading exporter of beef.
ADVERTISEMENT
Meanwhile, PMK founder S. Ramadoss said that the ban on cattle slaughter would affect agriculture. In a statement, he said the decision had been taken without proper understanding of the agro-economy. He described the move as an effort to interfere in the eating habits of a certain section of society. “It is condemnable. The explanation given by the Environment Ministry that the decision has been taken to restrict sale of young calves is not acceptable. In T.N., people worship cattle. They don’t sell or eat young calves. Even when the cattle becomes old, they are considered part of the family,” he said.