Cow slaughter bills withdrawn

The State government on Saturday withdrew from both Houses of Legislature two controversial bills the previous BJP governments had introduced to impose a strict ban on cow slaughter, amid protest and slogan-shouting by the BJP.

The withdrawal of the bills is aimed at restoring the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964, that governs slaughter of cattle in the State. Though it also restricts slaughter of cows, calf and she-buffaloes, the 1964 legislation allows slaughter of bulls, bullocks and buffaloes aged above 12 years, or if they are not fit for breeding or draught or did not give milk.

The then BJP government had sought to enact a new legislation to ban cow slaughter – the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Protection Bill, 2010. It was a comprehensive bill prohibiting slaughter of cows and calves of buffalo, bull, bullock, male buffalo, and for preservation and improvement of breeds of cattle in Karnataka.

The BJP, in its 2008 Assembly election manifesto promised to introduce a ban on cow slaughter. The then Governor H R Bhardwaj had forwarded the bill to the President, who sent back the bill asking for the word cattle to be defined.

The government then decided to bring in an amendment by including bull and bullock in the bill. Though the amended bill – the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Prevention Act (Amendment) Bill 2012 – was passed in both Houses, the then governor sat over it.

The BJP members staged a dharna, tore copies of the bills as presiding officers initiated the process to withdraw them. The JD(S) neither opposed nor supported the move. Shettar said it was plain vote bank politics.