While export of cow meat is banned in the country, cow slaughter is banned is most states barring Kerala, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
As the Dadri episode brings the discourse on the Sangh Parivar's agenda to ban cow slaughter into the spotlight, the government is trying determine if the increase in beef export was linked to cow slaughter instances. Minister of state for agriculture Sanjeev Balyan said he was would hold a meeting with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) to assess the situation on beef export. "There has been too much export in past months. I want to see how much is being exported," he said.
While export of cow meat is banned in the country, cow slaughter is banned is most states barring Kerala, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
The government suspects that the rise in beef exports is related to 'ïncrease' in cow slaughter and is planning to determine this by assessing the figure of buffaloes in slaughter houses. Only boneless meat of buffalo and meat of goat and sheep are permitted to be exported.
Cow slaughter, a state subject, is banned in Uttar Pradesh. According to Balyan, in the state, three crimes--illegal mining, liquor and meat business-- thrived at the Samajwadi Party government's behest. He said the illegal meat business in UP was worth Rs 10,000-15,000 crore.
Balyan, who refuted involvement of the BJP in the Dadri killing based on rumours of cow slaughter, said communal colour should not be given to the incident.
Trying to corner the Congress in the wake of remarks of its leader Digvijay Singh's remarks that his party was planning to call for a nationwide ban on cow slaughter, Balyan said then Kerala should ban it. Taking pot shots at the party, the minister said he would be writing to the Congress government in Kerala to ban cow slaughter.
Apparently fearing the political ramifications of the cow slaughter debate, the Congress is also treading cautiously. Singh said it was the Congress which had formulated laws against cow slaughter in several states. However, he said what happened in Dadri was nothing but "dirty politics" and agenda of the BJP-RSS combine".
At the same time, Balyan defended his colleague Mahesh Sharma. "He has not said anything wrong. He only said it was not a pre-planned event," Balyan said.
"Whatever happened was wrong and unfortunate. But why do such incidents happen? Look at any districts in the state, cow slaughter houses are set up at every place. The Uttar Pradesh government has not been able to take effective action," he said.
Balyan said the UP government should take stern action against cow slaughter.
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