Assam Assembly Passes Cattle Protection Bill Banning Sale of Beef Within 5Km of Temples

The Assam Assembly on Friday passed Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021 aimed at regulating slaughter, consumption and transportation of cattle in the state. Notwithstanding the walkout staged by the opposition parties in protest against the government’s refusal to forward the legislation to a select committee.

The ruling BJP members shouted ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogans and thumped desks as soon as Speaker Biswajit Daimary announced the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021 as passed.

“In the sixth chapter of Geeta it’s written that one needs to be practical in life. Our chief minister is practical in many respects and I honour him for this. However, on this particular bill, I fail to understand where is the practicality. The first avatar of Bishnu was a matsya (fish), then should we stop eating fish?” asked Kamalakshya Purkastya, Congress MLA from North Karimganj, in his speech seeking amendment to the Cattle Protection Bill in the Assam Assembly on Friday.

“In Uttar Pradesh, after the Cattle Protection Bill was brought in 2020, the streets were crowded with cows. A new task force had to be formed to manage these cows. I request that such bills should not be passed on which others shall laugh at us. You can slaughter oxen and not eat within 5km radius of temple and monasteries, the bill is self-contradictory,” he stated.

The lone Independent legislator, Akhil Gogoi, had walked out of the House when the bill was taken up for consideration. 

There were, as many as, 75 amendments sought to the bill in the assembly. Though the Opposition, including the Congress and AIUDF staged a walk out in protest against the bill, the assembly passed the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021 with overwhelming voice vote majority on August 13.

“We, Congress members have never opposed the bill completely. All we wanted were several amendments to it and that the bill be sent to the select committee. Moreover, the members from the BJP shouted ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ slogans in the assembly after the bill was passed, they have insulted Lord Ram by this. This definitely is not Ram Rajya,” said Ripun Bora ex-President of Assam Pradesh Congress.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, during his reply on a discussion on the legislation, rejected the Opposition’s proposal to refer the bill to an assembly select committee for vetting.

The BJP headquarters in Guwahati wore a festive look, rejoicing over the passing of the bill. State BJP president Bhabesh Kalita exchanged sweets to celebrate the occasion.

Appealing to the people to adhere to the new law to avoid conflict, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “At times, bones and remains of beef are carried to the temples. This leads to conflicts. Therefore, the restriction of five kilometres. I request all from the core of my heart, don’t eat beef within the five kilometres radius and don’t allow illegal cattle trade in the state. If you adhere to this, then there shall be no conflict in Assam.”

“Gopitnath Bordoloi, in 1950, brought the Cattle Preservation Bill. Gujarat introduced it later in 1954. In Barak valley and lower Assam, most of the communal cashes are due to beef. Eat whereever you are but not in places which have Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples,” said Sarma.

The bill shall replace the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 1950 which allows the slaughter of cattle aged above 14 years, with approval from vets. A cow, heifer or calf may be slaughtered only if it is permanently incapacitated, it said. The government, however, agreed only to an amendment moved by AIUDF legislator Aminul Islam to remove buffalo from the bill’s purview as a part of the amendment.

Raising objection to the bill, Islam, an MLA from Dhing, said, “According to statistics, there are 19,327 crore cows in Assam. Cows are not endangered animals. Why are laws being sought for conservation? The bill is looked through the religious prism. Assam farmers have built an economy of Rs 20,000 crore annually thriving on cattle trade. This bill shall pull down the economy drastically.”

Hinduism cannot be judged on the depth of your Tilak or perfection in pronunciation of the shlokas or the number of pilgrimage but by the ability to protect cow. “Gandhiji wrote in Young India that cow protection is the gift of Hinduism to the world. Hinduism will live for so long as there are Hindus that protect cows,” said Sarma.

“Cattle now have to be traded with the confinement of a district even for slaughter or other reason. For farming, proper permission needs to be taken,” added the chief minister. ​

One does not need to take permission for transporting cattle to and from registered animal markets for the purpose of sale and purchase within a district. All offences under this new legislation shall be cognizable and non-bailable.

Anybody found guilty shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years or fine that may vary between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh or both. If someone convicted under the new law is found guilty of the same or a related offence the second time, the punishment will be doubled. The legislation shall extend to the whole of Assam and the term ‘cattle’ shall apply to bulls, bullocks, cows, heifer, calves.

Won’t the Bill Trigger Backlash?

“Here, the government is very tough. Nobody will dare to create a law and order situation. We will handle that properly,” said the chief minister.

“In Uttar Pradesh, there is total prohibition. We have regulated the consumption. So, there is a lot of difference. In Assam, you know that 36 per cent population is from the beef eating community, so I tried to balance the concerns of everyone. Transport of beef shall be allowed with proper transit passes. If the government of Meghalaya gives proper transit passes, with proper mention of quantity and vehicle number, then it will be allowed,” said Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“Our Cattle Preservation Bill has drawn inspiration from Article 48 of the Constitution, as well as, the thought of Mahatma Gandhi,” he asserted.

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