The controversial move by the Narendra Modi government which banned the sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets across the country may be soon withdrawn.
On May 25, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change had banned the sale of cattle for slaughter across India. The Centre had only permitted trade of cattle among farmland owners. Though the decision for protection of cattle in the name of animal welfare was considered significant owing to the increasing cow vigilantism in the country and violence against cattle traders by vigilante groups, the move had earned a lot of criticism.
The decision to do away with the rule was taken after several states submitted feedback regarding the issue, said an Indian Express report.
"We sent a file to the Ministry of Law earlier this week, stating that we are withdrawing the notification due to several issues and will be revising it," an official was quoted as saying by the media report.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government was not only condemned by the other political parties for trying to impose their ideologies but was also opposed by farmers.
As the rule said that nobody can bring cattle to an animal market unless he or she has a written declaration that the cattle will not be sold for the purpose of slaughter, farmers were also affected by the ban.
Farmers usually bring their cattle to an animal market when their productivity is over, which traders then purchase and send to the abattoirs.
However, almost four months since the ban was levied, Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said that the government was thinking of doing away with the ban.
Back then, Vardhan had said that the rules were a "regulatory regime" to end cruelty to animals and the government "did not intend to directly or indirectly affect slaughterhouses or harm farmers" or "influence the food habits of people", following which the states were asked to send their feedback to the Centre, reported IE.
It had also told the states that a new draft on the issue will be framed based on their response.
