The Cattle Market Merchants and Lorry Owners Welfare Association on Thursday called upon the State government to make clear its stand on the rules governing the sale of cattle for slaughter or religious sacrifice at shanties issued by the Central government in May.
Addressing a press meet here, E. Sadhasivam, president of the Cattle Market Merchants Association said that there were a total of 233 big shanties and at least 400 smaller ones in the State, where cattle trade happened every week. “Thousands of cattle traders, farmers, workers in the abattoirs and leather tanneries have been affected by this order. Unless the Chief Minister makes the government’s stand clear, the entire trade plans to go on a strike,” he said.
R. Anbuvendan, president of the Beef Merchants Association, said that 10 days ago, the police, without any warning, banned the transportation of cattle on trucks. “We have no idea under what law the police is stopping us from moving cattle. Trucks have been stopped everywhere and the cattle will soon die if water and fodder is not given to them. We will lose crores of rupees in investment if that happens,” he said.
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Mr. Anbuvendan demanded that the police permit them to continue transportation of cattle.
Ummar Farooq, a cattle trader, said that many times police seized cattle that was being transported and handed them over to goshalas, instead of sending them to government-run shelters. “The goshalas are meant only to take care of the cattle on a temporary basis. But at times, we have to go up to the High Court to take back their possession and that takes a lot of time and money. In the meantime, the goshalas just certify that several cows have died. Our investment also goes down the drain that way,” he said.
Condemning the rules, members said that the move had put the entire industry in a quandary and they had nowhere else to go. “We don’t force anyone to eat beef; we only sell to those who want it and consume it,” said a trader.
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