Pinarayi VijayanThiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Saturday marked its protest to the central government's decision imposing restrictions on cattle trade through a letter to the prime minister.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote the letter to prime minister Narendra Modi even as the state witnessed a series of beef festivals challenging the Center's gazette notification which banned selling cattle for slaughtering through cattle markets.
Pinarayi in his letter said the move would have serious impact on the livelihoods of millions of Indians.
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“Of the millions of farmers in our country, only a miniscule number of them have documentation to prove that they are engaged in agriculture. Therefore, it would be extremely difficult for the vast majority of our farmers to legally procure draught animals used for agriculture and other domestic purposes,” he wrote.
The constitution of district animal market monitoring committees and an animal market committee to monitor cattle trade will also jeopardise the free hand trade of cattle between farmers in our country, the CPM veteran said.
He also expressed fears such panels would take upon themselves the role of Gau Rakshak Samitis (cow vigilantes) which have conducted attacks on cattle traders and transporters in the recent past.
“May I also remind you that meat is the primary source of protein for millions of poor and ordinary people in this country, particularly the Dalits. Such restrictions being imposed on the eve of Ramzan, would certainly appear to certain communities of our country as a direct attack on them,” he said.
Pinarayi said the prohibition of sale of cattle for slaughter will have a cascading effect on Indian industry as a whole, especially because of an insurmountable deficiency that will occur in our foreign exchange because of the drop in meat export.
Terming the order an an intrusion into the rights of the states in the federal structure, Pinarayi said the new rules should have been introduced in consultation with the states.
The central government on Friday banned the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter, a move that is expected to hit export and trade of meat and leather.
Beef fests held
Activists of the ruling CPM-led LDF, opposition Congress-headed UDF and their youth wings took out marches and organized beef fests across the state, where beef is widely consumed.
Demonstrations were held outside the secretariat in the state capital where the protesters cooked and distributed beef on the road side.
"We will eat beef to show our protest against the central government. We want to tell this to prime minister Narendra Modi," DYFI national president Mohammed Riyaz, who led the protest, said.
In Kollam district, a group of Congress workers cooked beef in front of the DCC office to register its opposition to the Center's decision.
District unit chief of Congress, Bindu Krishna told reporters that "beef delicacy will be packed and sent to head post office for delivery to Modi ji."
In Kochi, tourism and devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran participated in a 'beef fest', where bread and beef curry was served, even as Youth Congress activists took out a protest march in the city.
In Thodupuzha in Idukki district, protesters took out a march with the head of a buffalo.
The Union environment ministry has notified the stringent 'Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017' under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday said the new rules are very "specific" and aim to regulate animal markets and sale of cattle.
Tear it into bits: Antony
Reacting to the Centre's decision, senior Congress leader and former Union minister A K Antony said the notification should be "torn to bits" and "dumped in a dust-bin". The UDF will observe 'black day' on Monday against the ban, opposition leader in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala said at Thrissur.
(With inputs from PTI)
