Cattle slaughter ban comes up in TN Assembly: EPS finds himself isolated; Stalin & allies walk out

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) found himself isolated in the Assembly after he refused to take a stand on the recent notification on the sale of cattle for slaughter. EPS said he would await court judgment.

Slamming EPS for lacking the guts to stand up to the Centre for the fear of income-tax raids, Leader of the Opposition MK Stalin walked out of the Assembly.

Stalin was joined not only by DMK allies like the Congress and the All India Union Muslim League but also pro-government MLAs Karunas, Thamimum Ansari and Thennarasu.

Stalin told reporters that neighbouring Puducherry and Goa had declared they would not enforce the Centre’s order.

Thennarasu said the proposed ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter would hurt farmers. More importantly, the government had no right to interfere with the food habits of people he added.

Palaniswami, however, told the House that cow slaughter ban had been in force in the state for the 40 years. What the order sought to do was extend a ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter.

Reading out the 25 May notification issued by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, EPS said it sought to regulate the cattle market, banning the sale of cattle for slaughter. The order also said that the cattle market was not allowed to function within 25 km of the inter-state border.

It also stipulates that the cattle bought in the market should not be slaughtered for six months at least and also excludes cattle from the list animals which are sacrificed as part of religious rituals.

EPS pointed out that the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had already granted a four-week stay on enforcement of the notification on a petition filed on 25 May. The case wil come up for hearing on 11 July.

Similarly, Abdul Makhim Qureshi of Hyderabad had moved the Supreme Court and his petition has been listed for hearing on 11 July.

Citing media reports, the Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan had said the Centre planned to bring amendments to the notification, keeping in mind representations that it would affect the farmers.

Following this, EPS said in Assembly that his government would enforce the order of courts. Finding the reply unsatisfactory, the Opposition walked out.