Deputy Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Bishnu Charan Sethi (BJP) on Tuesday came down strongly on the State Government for allowing illegal cow transportation in the State.
He warned the State Government of his party having decided to call an Odisha Bandh and start a State wide agitation after Covid situation improves, if the illegal activities are not stopped forthwith. Sethi while addressing a Press conference in his official residence here said that though Odisha is the first State in the country to prohibit cow slaughter by bringing out a legislation namely, the Orissa Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1960, it is not properly implemented because of political compulsions. “Despite a strict stricture issued by the Orissa High Court to police and local administration, the latter seem to have turned a blind eye on curbing the cow smuggling and slaughter which are anti-Hindu. The cows are being transported slyly to Bangladesh via West Bengal and other States,” alleged Sethi. Citing an Orissa High Court judgment of August 29, 2012, Sethi said that while acting on a PIL, the court had observed that steps taken by the police were not adequate in cow smuggling cases. Therefore, the Judges had directed the State Government to follow the instructions of the Animal Welfare Board of India as well as implement the concerned Act and rules in true letter and spirit.
The HC also asked the Government to issue strict instructions to all the SPs and police stations of the State in this regard to prevent such illegal transportation of cattle and animals as well as cruelty to cattle, besides taking stringent action against the persons involved in such illegalities.