'Cattle revered in society from time immemorial': Assam CM on Cow Protection Bill

GUWAHATI: The cow protection bill of Assam tabled by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma proposes to ban cattle slaughter and sale of beef in areas inhabited by communities who do not consume beef.

The Chief Minister tabled the legislation on the first day of budget session in the Assembly on Monday. He  stated that the bill will prohibit sale and purchase of beef in places that fall within five-kilometre radius of a temple.

Speaking about the bill, the Chief Minister said, "Cattle are revered in our society from time immemorial."

Also Read: Meghalaya CM to move to centre if Assam’s Cow Protection Bill affects Meghalaya’s economy

"Respecting our deep-rooted belief system & agricultural necessity, we've tabled Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021 in Assembly to regulate slaughter, consumption & transportation of cattle". he added.

As per the bill, transportation of cattle from one district and outside the state will be considered illegal without proper documentation.

The bill has brewed several controversies and speculations among different sections of the society since the time since the time governor Jagdish Mukhi made the announcement that it would be introduced in the assembly session.

Commenting on the issue, Senior Advocate of Gauhati High Court Hafiz Rashid Choudhury  had earlier said, “These things are just to divert our attention from the main issues that are currently going on. There are many developmental bills that should have been prioritized. Hence I feel in a time like this, it is not feasible to bring up a controversial bill like this. The covid chaos is already there. In such a situation, such decisions are going to create more chaos and difference in the society.”

“It is often seen that certain communities are harassing other communities by taking advantage of those bills. So, all we want is that if the bill is introduced in the state, it should not violate the rights of any community. The government has to make sure that no community would use the bill against any other community", MP and Veteran Journalist Ajit Bhuyan said earlier.

If enacted, the bill will annul the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 1950.

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