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Assam cabinet approves cow protection bill, to be tabled in next assembly
The CM had earlier said that the legislation would ban the movement of cattle from other parts of the country into Assam and vice versa.
As per its commitment made earlier, the Assam cabinet has approved legislation to ensure the protection of cattle in the state, parliamentary affairs minister Pijush Hazarika informed about it on Thursday.
The legislation will be tabled in the next assembly session to be held later this month.
“We had earlier announced that our government would bring a cow protection bill. The cabinet yesterday approved the introduction of the bill in the state assembly,” Hazarika said.
While the exact contents of the legislation are not yet known, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier mentioned that the legislation would ban the movement of cattle from other parts of the country into Assam and also from the state to outside.
The move is aimed at ending the smuggling of cattle to Bangladesh through the international border. At present, cattle from many states of the country are illegally transported to the region via Assam smuggled to the neighbouring country along with the border areas of the state and Meghalaya.
Addressing the first session of the newly elected assembly in May, Governor Jagdish Mukhi informed that the proposed bill would adopt a zero-tolerance policy for the protection of the sacred animal, which provides us with ‘life-sustaining milk’.
Defending the move, CM Sarma had said in the assembly in the first session that beef shouldn’t be consumed in those areas where Hindus live and where the animal is worshipped.
“We believe cow is our mother. We don’t want cattle to enter our state from West Bengal. We want that beef is not consumed in areas where cows are worshipped. I am not saying people who consume beef should leave their habit, but there should be sensitivity towards others who don’t,” he said.
Consumption of beef is not illegal in Assam. The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 1950 allows the slaughter of cattle above 14 years of age with proper approval by local veterinary officers.
Once enacted, Assam would join other BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, which have similar legislation to protect cows.
