CPI to hold week-long protests over cattle trade ban

The CPI will stage week-long protests in parts of the country to seek rollback of the Centre's "unwise" notification banning sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter.
The protests will be staged between June 3 and June 10, party general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said in a statement.
"The CPI calls upon its units to organise protest actions throughout the country, demanding withdrawal of the notification totally," he said.
The Left party reiterated its allegation that the notification is interference by the Centre in the authority of states as animal husbandry comes in concurrent list of the Constitution.

Any subject that falls into the list concerned means both the Centre and states can have say on the issue and the Union government cannot take unilateral decision on it.
"Beef is comparatively cheaper and gives enough proteins. Hence, working people prefer it in all religions. This is an unwise decision," Reddy added.

The Union environment ministry on May 23 came out with the notification banning the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter.
It also prohibited practices that are cruel to animals including painting of horns and putting ornaments or decorative materials on them.
The environment ministry has notified the stringent 'Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017' under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.