Cow slaughter issue

SHILLONG, JUNE 21: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) today unanimously passed a resolution moved by the opposition Congress to oppose the Centre’s notification on banning the sale & slaughter of cow.

Interestingly, the lone MDC of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Laitumkhrah Neil Antonio War has also supported the resolution as being part of the ruling People Democratic Forum led executive committee (EC).

“Since the resolution is now the property of the House, this House unanimously resolved to oppose the ban on sale and slaughter of cow,” KHADC chief Pynshngain N Syiem told the House during the session here.

Later, the Council’s Chairman LG Nongsiej accordingly announced that the resolution has been adopted and passed.

The Meghalaya Legislative Assembly had also passed a resolution demanding the Centre to scrap its notification in a special session convened recently on June 12.

It may be mentioned, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has last month issued a Notification with regards to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017.

Earlier while moving the resolution, Congress leader of opposition Manstudy Nongrem urged the EC to write to the Centre for withdrawing of the notification, which will surely affect the food habits of the tribal.

“When the state government has passed a strong resolution, it will be the duty of the council to also express strong resentment on this to ensure the culture and food habit of the people is not affected,” he added.

Nongrem alleged that in many of the states which are under rule of the BJP, this notification has been implemented even as people who eat beef were beaten up.

“Now, the BJP is having only one representative (Antonio) in this House and he has no option but to support this resolution but what will happen if they have at least 16 members they will have to oppose it as it will be anti-party activity,” he said while urging the people to reject the BJP which is trying to dilute the traditional customs and practices.

On the other hand, Congress MDC from Mawlai Process T Sawkmie accused the BJP of coming up with police which are anti-people and anti-minority.

Lambasting at the BJP for adopting a double standard approach on the issue, he said, “It has claimed that the notification will not apply in North East despite maintaining that it will be implemented in the entire country.”

Extending full support to the resolution, UDP MDC from Nongkrem Hispreaching Son Shylla however said that he will not support the political angle of the resolution since both Congress and BJP are to be blamed.

“The Congress and the BJP are both responsible for this (ban) as the Centre cannot come up with the Rules without the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which was passed by the Congress,” he said.

However stating that they are all one when it comes to attempt to ban people from eating beef, Shylla said, “There will be no Congress or BJP who can stop us from having beef except a doctor (for matter relating to health issues).”

Referring to the resolution passed by the state government, the former CEM however said the government should move the Centre to exempt the state of Meghalaya from such notification as it did in the case of Jammu & Kashmir.

He said the Congress is to be blamed when the Act says that it shall extend to the whole of India except Jammu & Kashmir adding it should have exempted other states including Meghalaya.