Tamil Nadu assembly: DMK stages walkout over cattle ban issue

Chennai: The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) walked out of the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly on Tuesday, protesting against the unsatisfactory response of the state government to recent cattle market rules.

The central notification issued by the Union environment ministry on 26 May prohibits the sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets. Several state legislatures have already criticised the move and passed resolutions against it.

Chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s reply on a question on the state government’s stand on the issue failed to satisfy DMK members, who trooped out along with members from allies Congress and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).

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Three MLAs from the allies of ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) also walked out of the assembly.

The DMK demanded that the assembly should adopt a resolution against the Centre’s decision, adding Puducherry, Meghalaya, Kerala and Goa have already introduced such resolutions. The AIADMK government has surrendered to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led NDA government, leader of opposition and DMK’s working president M.K. Stalin alleged.

Meanwhile, Palaniswami said the state government will implement the verdict of the Supreme Court and high court in this regard.

On 30 May, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court, based on a public interest litigation, granted a four-week stay on the central notification prohibiting the sale of cattle, including buffalo, for slaughter at livestock markets. The petition before the court challenged the constitutional validity of the new rules notified on 26 May.

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Stalin told reporters, “The Palaniswami government has not even condemned the Centre’s notification. Fearing the CBI and I-T raids, this AIADMK government has been singing paeans for the BJP.”

This is the fifth walkout by the DMK since the assembly convened on 14 June. Ruckus prevailed in the assembly on the first day of the session as DMK demanded discussion on the alleged bribing of AIADMK legislators.

The opposition staged a walkout on Monday even as the assembly passed the Goods and Services Tax Bill.