BackKerala assembly passes resolution against centre’s cattle sale rules
BJP government has a political agenda in coming out with cattle norms, and wants to effectively impose a beef ban all over India, says Pinarayi Vijayan
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Ernakulam: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government of pandering to a right-wing political agenda and violating the fundamental rights by introducing new cattle trade norms.
He was speaking at a special assembly session called to discuss what action to take to overcome the trade norms. Kerala is among states where beef is widely consumed.
The CM has moved a special motion against the new norms in order to mount pressure on the Centre to reverse them. After a two-hour debate, the assembly passed a near-unanimous special resolution against the Centre.
The Union government has a political agenda in coming out with such norms and wants to effectively impose a beef ban all over India, Vijayan said, while moving the motion, according to a report on the website of regional newspaper Malayala Manorama.
Vijayan alleged the Centre was violating basic human rights, such as the right to food, and infringing federal powers, with these new rules. The norms have hit farmers in Kerala and will also create inflationary pressure, he said, according to the report.
In what came as a surprise to Left leaders, K.M. Mani, leader of the opposition Kerala Congress (Mani), criticized the move to hold a special assembly session.
The new norms have faced stiff opposition from states like Kerala, West Bengal and north-eastern states where consumption of beef is widespread. The norms seek to ban the sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets, including in states such as Kerala that allow cow slaughter.
Vijayan is not the only chief minister to come out against the norms. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee recently declared her government will not accept it, while protests have been organized in several parts of Tamil Nadu, where the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) launched an agitation on 31 May. In Meghalaya, two of the BJP’s top leaders have quit the party over the norms.
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