Union Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister and BJP leader Parshottam Rupala on Tuesday said that his Government would take “cognizance” of the Karnataka Congress Government’s move to “re-visit” the anti-cow slaughter Act in the State brought by the BJP Government in 2021 as he took a dig at the Siddaramaih Government for beginning its term with the politically-sensitive issue of “cow slaughter” legislation. The Minister said the move also shows the “mindset of the Congress”.
The BJP has been organizing street protests in Karnataka against the State Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh’s statement that “if buffaloes can be slaughtered, why not cows” and that his Government would “re-visit” the anti-cow slaughter law.
Answering a question on the politically-sensitive issue the Union Minster said, “Once the ruling party in the State takes a final stand, the Central Government will take cognisance of the issue.”
Rupala said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge (who also hails from Karnataka) and senior leader Sonia Gandhi should speak on the issue. He was responding to a related question at a BJP Press conference where he highlighted the Modi Government’s achievements.
“Do they (Congress) want their Government to start its tenure with cow slaughter,” Rupala said, asking Kharge and Gandhi to clarify their stand.
For the second-day on Tuesday, the BJP in Karnataka carried-out street protests against the Government in Karnataka against the proposal to “re-visit” the anti-cow slaughter law in the State. The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill, 2020, was passed by voice vote in February 2021 in the Karnataka Legislative Council.
Rupala said that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who showed the foresight and courage to create a separate Ministry for this adding, “Animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries are the backbone of the rural economy”.