By TCN News,
Bangalore: Governor of Karnataka, H.R. Bhardwaj has decided to reserve the controversial Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill, 2010, , for consideration of the President. The Bill was passed by the Bharatiya Janata Party government amid protests on July 16, 2010.
Governor’s secretariat said that the Bill was being reserved “after due consideration of the provisions of the Bill with reference to Constitutional provisions relating to the Fundamental Rights, the rulings of the Supreme Court and adverse effect on the lives of large sections of people in the State and lack of legislative competence.”
Karnataka civil society has been opposing the Bill on the grounds that it infringes on the human rights and fundamental rights of many groups including those of the minorities in the state.
This law not only bans slaughter of cattle, purchase, sale and disposal of cattle for slaughter but also prohibits usage and possession of beef which means a complete ban on beef eating.
It gives undue power to police which is likely to be misused. As per the Bill, if seller or buyer is busy in a deal and suspected by government officers that the cattle shall be slaughtered, they will be deemed as committing crime.
In the Bill, the word cow has been deleted which means that there is no difference between cow and ox, and the same punishment is applicable for both. This means one can not sell his cow which is no longer gives milk or ox which is past its prime age.