Athawale mobilises beef traders to oppose Maha slaughter ban

After failing to get a favourable response from Maharashtra Government on reversing a ban on selling beef, Republican Party of India (Athawale), an ally of BJP, is now drumming up support from beef traders to put pressure on the Government to annul the decision.
RPI(A) President Ramdas Athawale had earlier tried to take up the beef ban issue with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, but the Government indicated it was in no mood to reverse its decision.
Athawale today said his party members along with beef traders of the city will on May 19 stage a protest in front of Collector's office in suburban Bandra.

He said the ban on sale and consumption of beef amounted to committing "atrocity" on the minority communities.
"I tried speaking with the Chief Minister to persuade him to change the decision. But the CM does not seem to be willing to reconsider his stand. Beef traders approached me, saying they have lost their source of livelihood due to this ban and they cannot live like this.
"Some of them were even contemplating to leave the State. The Government has set a very bad precedent," the former Minister told reporters here.

Beef traders have decided to go on a state-wide strike on May 19 to protest the ban, which came into force in March when the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act received the President's assent.

Besides cows, the Act bans slaughter of bulls and bullocks.
"Farmers who have aged animals will find it difficult to feed them. Moreover, there will be scarcity of raw material for the leather industry," the Rajya Sabha MP said and warned of "shoe-less days ahead."
The ban had sparked protests from political and cultural outfits, who alleged it amounted to encroachment on individual choices and eating habits of a large sections of people, especially the minority communities.