Centre’s new rule has not banned cow slaughter or beef consumption: Kerala High Court
The chief justice said the notification does not violate a citizen’s fundamental rights, contradicting the Madras High Court’s recent remarks.
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday observed that the recent notification by the Centre did not stop anyone from selling cattle for slaughter outside the cattle market and said there was no order in place that banned the consumption of meat. “You sell it from your house,” Chief Justice Navniti Prasad said according to The New Indian Express.
The High Court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Youth Congress’ Kerala general secretary, TG Sunil. The petitioner had argued that the preservation, protection and the improvement of stock was state’s job and the Centre had encroached up on the power of the state government, reported The Hindu.
However, the bench said there was no blanket ban on cattle slaughter, but only a ban on slaughter or sale of cattle in animal markets. “Does the notification in any ways violate the fundamental rights of a citizen?” the court asked according to Mathrubhumi. “Is there any provision in the notification that constraints the labour rights?”
If people had read the rules framed by the Centre, then there wouldn’t have been any protests, the bench said before dismissing the petition. Moreover, the court expressed surprise over Madras High Court’s decision to stay the Centre’s notification for four weeks, reported IANS.
Court observed that there is no ban on cattle slaughter or consuming meat but bill only bans large-scale sale of cattle through big markets.
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 31, 2017
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called for a special Cabinet meeting on Thursday to discuss steps to oppose Centre’s notification. “Unless we stand together and oppose this anti-federal, anti-democratic and anti-secular move, it may mark the beginning of a series of similar measures aimed at destroying the federal, democratic fabric and secular culture of our country,” he said according to The Indian Express.
On May 26, the Centre had issued new rules that require cattle traders to give an undertaking that the animals being sold at markets would only be used for agricultural purposes. Several states have massively criticised the notification, including Kerala, West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh, among others. Madras High Court on Tuesday had stayed the notification for four weeks and asked the Centre to reply to its order.