Reversing slaughter ban

The government’s walk back on last year’s controversial ban on buying and selling of animals for slaughter may not have come a day too soon. The farm economy is hurting from a multitude of causes and could do without the extra costs imposed by the virtual ban on cattle trade. At the time the Union Government issued the original notification, this step was seen as a natural progression of its strategy to use religious symbols for carving a distinct identity for its support base. There was bound to be a rethink not only because PM Modi had recognised the diminishing political returns from street-level vigilantism in the name of checking cow slaughter, but also there was large scale disruption to downstream economic activity as well that affected citizens of all religious persuasions. 

The Modi government may have wanted to make a political point by toughening the rules on cattle trade. But the result was a steady climb in the prices of downstream products from shoes to buttons. A study showed that Maharashtra alone would need over Rs 5,000 crore annually to feed all the bulls if the original notification was implemented in true spirit. The proposed new rules have tried to correct some of the distortions such as the requirement of producing a certificate to establish that the animal brought for sale in the market was not meant for slaughter. In regions where there is a overhang of cow vigilantism, the paperwork has dealt a death blow to cattle trade.

The government’s intent to formalise the new directive after wider consultations is on expected lines, especially in view of the mayhem caused by group-think in a closed circle. Several states too were unenthusiastic about the proposal, on political as well as practical considerations. Close consultations are also required to ensure that the norms do lead to a reduction in unnecessarily cruel practices such as branding, shearing of horns and ear cutting. The proposed norms envisage a well-represented committee in each district which need due encouragement and wherewithal to ensure they become the vehicles of legitimate trade in cattle while eliminating cruelties that have marred this vocation.