SHILLONG: The Congress-led MUA-II Government will bring a resolution on cow slaughter during the session of the Assembly scheduled on Monday.
An official source told The Shillong Times on Thursday that the resolution on cow slaughter is to help the State to have status quo on the matter after the Centre notified the rule banning cow slaughter.
The resolution which will be passed on the same day after deliberation by the legislators will be intimated to the Centre.
There is criticism from several quarters on the new rule notified by the Centre as the critics find that this is a backdoor policy to ban cow slaughter in the entire country.
BJP, which had faced criticism after two party functionaries from Garo Hills quit, had maintained that the cow slaughter is a state subject and that the Centre has no intention to ban beef in Meghalaya.
However, a State Government official said the new rule notified by the Centre based on the Act related to cruelty against animals will ultimately result in ban on cow slaughter.
“The Centre will have the final say on the matter and the States will have to follow the rule in the long run,” the official added.
He pointed out that as per the new rule, cattle markets cannot be set up within 24 km of the inter-state border and within 50 km of international border.
“If this is strictly followed, the State will face difficulty as the markets will have to come only in the city,” the official added.
Another cause for concern is that since the sale of cattle for slaughter is prohibited, the farmers will be in a dilemma as to what to do with the aged cattle which are not for farming.
Through the resolution to be passed on Monday, the State Government wants to address these concerns, the official added.
Earlier on May 30, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had granted a four-week stay on the Environment Ministry’s May 26 notification banning the sale of cattle, including buffalo, for slaughter at livestock markets.
Though there is a plan to review the Centre’s decision, a final decision may be taken only after the arrival of the Prime Minister from foreign tour.
