Editor,
The Central Government cannot impose the ban on cow slaughter on states as it is against the Constitution. It may be recalled that in the case filed by Gauri Maulekhi – W. P. (Civil) No.881 of 2014 versus Union of India and others, the Apex Court passed an order on July 13, 2015, to frame guidelines to prevent animals from being smuggled out of India for the Gadhimai Festival in Nepal where large scale animal sacrifice takes place. The Supreme Court had constituted a Committee under the Chairmanship of DG, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and some suggestions made by them, including measures to curb trans-boundary smuggling of cattle were brought out. The Court also inter alia directed that rules with regard to livestock market and case property animals also be noted. On July 12, 2016, the Supreme Court gave a final order directing the concerned Ministry to frame rules under Section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The Animal Welfare Board of India prepared the draft rules incorporating all the suggestions made by the Supreme Court for the case.
The draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017, was notified on January 16, 2017, inviting objections and suggestions for all persons likely to be affected by it within 30 days. As many as 13 representations were received regarding the rules and they were duly examined and incorporated wherever found suitable and the rules were finally notified on May 23, 2017.
The Central Government has clarified that the prime focus of the rules related to cattle is to protect the animals from cruelty and not to regulate the existing trade in cattle for slaughter houses. The new rules also prohibit establishment of an animal market in a place which is situated within 25 km from any state border and within 50 km from any international border.The basic purpose of the rules as per the Union Government is to ensure welfare of animals in the cattle market and ensure facilities for housing, feeding, feed storage area, water supply, water troughs, ramps, enclosures for sick animals, veterinary care and proper drainage etc. The specific provisions of the notification apply only to animals which are bought and sold in the notified livestock markets and animals that are seized as case properties and the rules do not cover other areas.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MOEFCC) has notified new rules under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act which bans sale of cattle for slaughter in open markets across the country. The MOEFCC has also clarified that the rules on Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Market) are to ensure welfare of animals and protect animals from cruelty.
The Gazette notification, titled Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets ) Rules, 2017, by the Ministry of Environment says no one can bring cattle to animal markets unless he or she has furnished a written declaration that the cattle will not be sold for the purpose of slaughter. The notification does not mention a word about beef ban and it was issued after the Supreme Court asked the Centre to make rules on the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
In fact the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act was brought in by Congress in 1960. Now when the rules have been notified by the government the countrywide agitation is being sparked by the Congress party through their “dirty tricks department” to spread rumours about beef ban. The Congress party is trying to communalize the issue and to create false and malicious propaganda in social media following the philosophy of their seven decade old policy of “divide & rule” as inherited from their British masters to defame the country across the world at the cost of destruction of unity and fraternity among the various communities/states of the country by mis-interpretation of the rules and misleading the general public.
The Rules notified by the Union Government are perfectly in consonance with the provisions of Articles 48 & 49 as enshrined in the Constitution of India. It would be prudent to stop the sinister hullabaloo generated and led by the pseudo-secular Congress party and trumpeted by the oppositions against a welfare endeavour by the Government considering the unity and integrity of the country.
Yours etc.,
Samares Bandyopadhyay
Advocate, Kolkata High Court
Holy month, unholy blasts
Editor,
Ramadan is a holy month for Islam which we must all respect. More so when it’s observed with rigorous austerity, renouncing the material indulgences and dedicating this to the Almighty who is “common” to all and one. True, through “austerity” one’s mind, inner heart and soul can be cleansed and that finally raises one’s spiritual level. Throughout the holy month those who fast should not at all be hurtful to anyone whether through speech or action. Also, the mind must not harbour anything that precipitates negativity.
But when this holy month is defiled by the gory incidents of blasts – the most ungodly act, how could we link it with holy Islam? Is it a prelude to a bigger mission that it started with the Manchester suicide explosion on May 22 that shattered the euphoria of the concert-goers leaving 23 people dead, 129 others grievously injured? This is followed by the May 26 episode when scary masked gunmen attacked a bus carrying Christians. The incident left 26 men dead, including many children in Egypt’s Minya. After a brief lull of four days, on May 30, a car bomb hit an ice-cream shop in Baghdad killing 15 and wounding at least 30. Then immediately the next day a massive blast tore apart the diplomatic quarters in Kabul near the German embassy, killing at least 90 people. Sources put the injured count at a whopping 460. Then followed another deadly carnage early Friday morning in the Philippines, when a gunman burst into a Manila hotel and later set himself on fire. That incident killed 34 people. Now how many more tragedies will happen until the end of Ramadan? Peoples are worryingly apprehensive.
A thoughtful friend of mine from Mumbai – Mr. M. Nazeer, in a sorrowful tone, laments – “These all are the heartless attacks on humanity which only sink the holy spirit of the true believers of Allah. We are not feeling safe on our own.” I guess he is right. Of course, no one can disagree that the principle teaching of the Quran — ‘Love all and serve all’ should be misinterpreted to harm humanity? One strongly feels that those who kill and those who get killed, are both created by the “One Almighty”. Then why is there bad blood among themselves? The time is ripe for all to introspect with sagacity and human compassion. Merciless killing is never the way to the Almighty. .
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali
Shillong – 2