Ramdas Athawale backs cattle sale ban, calls for protection of cows

Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday backed the Centre's decision to put restriction on the sale of cattle and said that cow is holy and it should be protected.

"To impose blanket ban on other cattle is not right, but ban should be there on the cow slaughter. Cow is holy then is should be protected," said Athawale.

He even said that the government should take initiative to build shed on different place to provide protection for those cow's which cannot provide milk.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called the ban "undemocratic and unconstitutional" and said her government will challenge it legally.

Communist Party of India CPI (M) led Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has also said that the state will challenge the order legally as livestock is a state subject.

There have been protests in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states like Kerala and Karnataka against the Centre's order on the cattle sale in the county.

There have been protests in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka against the Centre's order on the cattle sale in the county.

According to the notification under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act of 1960 that gives the Centre powers over animal welfare, the committees overseeing animal markets will have to take an undertaking from traders that "animals are bought for agriculture purposes and not for slaughter".