Tripura unites against Centre's 'unconstitutional' cattle ban rule

Denouncing the Centre's cattle trade notification, Tripura Assembly's Deputy Speaker Prabitra Kar on Wednesday dubbed the rule 'unconstitutional', while saying that to implement such law in multi-cultural country is not possible.

"It cannot be implemented in our country as it is multicultural and multi religious. We cannot change the food habit of a person. It is unconstitutional also because as per the law government cannot interfere in the fundamental right of people. We hope the government will back out and withdraw this rule as every state is opposing it," Kar told ANI.

Echoing the same, Tripura MP Jitendra Choudhury said that the Centre's new rule violates the federal structure and spirit of the Constitution.

"The notification is illegal and unconstitutional. Without having consensus this kind of decision cannot be taken by the union government. They have violated the federal structure and spirit of the Constitution. Our country is multi culural, multi lingual and multi religious," Choudhury told ANI.

Dubbing the Centre's move as 'unfortunate and anti people', he further said that the rule is an encroachment on the fundamental rights of the citizen.

"It will further aggravate the situation. It is decision and step taken by the central government. I condemn this decision and we have been noticing that several states are already denouncing this decision. It should be not implemented where we are following secular culture," he added.

Following the footsteps of the Karnataka and Kerala Government, the Manik Sarkar-led Tripura Government earlier in the day said it will not implement the Centre's order on ban on sale of cattle for slaughter.

Reacting to the Central Government's new rule on cattle trade, Karnataka Chief Minister K. Siddaramaiah yesterday said it is not mandatory to follow every notification which comes from the Centre.

"It is not mandatory to follow every notification which comes from Centre as this matter is a state issue," Siddaramaiah said.

Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged the Chief Ministers of other states to raise their voices against restrictions imposed on cattle trade, while saying that the Centre's 'anti-democratic' notification is an attempt to usurp the state governments' powers in the guise of rules under a Central Act.

Vijayan wrote a letter to the Chief Ministers saying that the restrictions imposed on cattle trade would adversely affect the livelihood of the millions of people, especially, those in the agriculture sectors.

"I am sure that you are already conversant with the Notification containing the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 23rd May, 2017. The Rules impose a number of restriction on cattle trade which would have serious repercussions on the livelihood of millions of people, especially those in the agricultural sector, in our country," the letter read.

Drawing a huge backlash from various fractions, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Harsh Vardhan ordered that the ministry has notified the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 to ensure that the sale of cattle is not meant for slaughter purposes.

He said the seller and buyer both have to ensure that the cattle is not being bought or sold across the country's livestock markets market for slaughter purposes.

The rules also state that the purchaser shall not sacrifice the animal for any religious purpose or sell it to a person outside the state without permission and must keep in with the state's cattle protection laws.