Guwahati: The Assam Legislative Assembly Friday passed the Cattle Preservation Bill 2021 amid a raging opposition by the Opposition parties.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had Monday tabled the bill in the House, which has now became a law.
The Bill aims to regulate slaughter, consumption and transportation of cattle and banned consumption of beef in areas where the inhabitants are predominently non-beef eating communities. It also restricted slaughter of cattle within five-km radius of temples and religious places.
The Opposition parties including the Congress, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and the Left strongly opposed the Bill and suggested 75 amendments to the Bill. However, the Bill was passed by a voice vote.
"The Bill will affect the cattle rearers and farmers of the state to a great extent. The Bill will also have negative impact on the rural economy of Assam," said AIUDF legislator Aminul Islam and added that the Bill when turned into an act will lead to a loss of Rs 20,000 crore in Assam annually.
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Islam further said restriction of cattle slaughter within five-km radius of temples and religious institutions cannot be acceptable and that this provision will lead to near complete ban on cattle slaughter.
"Cow is not an endangered animal that there should be measure for preservation of the animal. Such a strict act should have been implemented rather for protection of women," Islam said while opposing the Bill.
Chief Minister Sarma, while replying to the Opposition, said that it is not only the BJP that is talking about cattle preservation. Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, Sarma said that Gandhiji had long back stated that chanting of religious hymns and wearing tilak does not identify one as Hindu but one's respect for the Gau Mata identifies one as a real Hindu.
"We belong to a country which represents a civilisation dating back to 5,000 years and culture. Respecting Gau Mata and protecting it is a part of this civilisation and culture," Sarma said, adding that he has failed to understand how the Bill would lead to loss of Rs 20,000 crore per year.
"Assam's economy is not dependent of cattle trade. There is an illegal market of cattle smuggling. The Bill will only stop this illegal cattle smuggling," he said.
"It is only few days that we have become Hindus or Muslims. Before that what were we?" Sarma asked the members of the House.
