Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy wants Centre to withdraw cattle slaughter ban

Chief minister had also written to PM Narendra Modi on June 7 over the issue

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Thursday urged the Centre to withdraw the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, saying the "rules and regulations are unconstitutional and seek to deprive cattle owners of their rights."

Making a "suo moto" statement after question hour in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said the people of the country had full freedom and liberty to decide the food they should eat, the religion they should patronise and the dress they should wear.

No one has any right to intervene to direct the people on these issues, he added.

Narayanasamy also said no control or restrictions could be imposed on diet and other habits of people and called upon the Centre to withdraw the regulations.

Already people from different sections of society had voiced their protest against centre's regulations, he said.

Narayanasamy said he had also written to the Prime Minister on June 7 seeking withdrawal of the regulations.

The Centre had banned the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter and prohibited practices which are cruel to animals including painting of horns and putting ornaments or decorative materials on them.