Haryana clears Bill to ban cow slaughter

Pradeep Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 16

The Haryana Assembly tonight unanimously passed a Bill imposing a complete ban on cow slaughter in the state and providing for a rigorous imprisonment ranging from three years to 10 years for killing the animal.

The Gau Sanrakshan Avm Gau Samwardhan Bill, 2015, which comes two day after the Khattar government clamped a complete ban on the sale of beef in the state, was passed by a voice vote with members cutting across party lines supporting the Bill.

The Bill provides for a fine ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1 lakh. In case of default in payment of the fine, the convict will have to undergo another year in jail. Under the Bill, the offences would be cognisable and non-bailable.

Making an emotional pitch while tabling the Bill, Animal Hubandry and Dairying Minister OP Dhankar asserted Haryana was promulgating the toughest law against cow slaughter in the country after studying the legislations of the other states.

“In view of the strong socio-religious sentiments of the general public, the state government was committed to strengthening the prohibition of cow slaughter and making schemes for conservation and development of the indigenous breeds of cow,” the minister said.

The vehicle used for transporting cow can be impounded by a police officer not below the rank of sub-inspector or officer authorised by the state government.

The minister earlier said there were about three lakh cows in 400 gaushalas across the state. Another 18 lakh cows were being reared by people, while 1.5 lakh were stray.

As Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar thanked the House for passing the Bill, his predecessor Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the BJP government needed to be complimented for bringing such a Bill.

The passage of the Bill was a smooth affair for the BJP government with members only suggesting certain amendments to be incorporated.

Supporting the Bill, which is likely to affect the livelihood of a large number of people depending on butchery, especially in the minority-dominated Mewat district, for a livelihood, prominent MLA from Mewat Zakir Hussain (INLD) claimed the members of the Muslim community had always been sensitive to the religious sentiments of the Hindus.

Senior Congress MLA Karan Dalal, however, wanted the state government to make provisions for the care of ailing cows in gaushalas.