'Cow slaughter still punishable under new Nepal Constitution'

Cow remains to be the national animal of Nepal and its slaughter or consumption of its meat will invite punishment even under the new Constitution proclaiming the hill-nation as a secular country, Nepalese Ambassador to New Delhi Deep Kumar Upadhyay said today.
The Nepalese envoy further said that under the new constitution a law will be enacted to stop conversion.
"The national animal of Nepal was cow and there was a pressure to replace the national animal. Despite this, the cow still remains the national animal. Because of this, there cannot be a sale of cow meat in Nepal. There is also a (provision of) seven-year imprisonment for the crime related to cow-slaughter or cow meat. Now, what new law is enacted is needs to be seen," Upadhyay said.

He was speaking at the a conference on 'Interaction Programme on the New Constitution of Nepal' organised by Samyukta Pravasi Nepal Association in India.
Noting that though the new Constitution has provisions for protection for religions and its practises, he said that there will be a punishment for conversion.
"The constitution has a provision for stopping conversion. There is grey area between those doing under the pretext of social service and luring. One can say that conversion was done by luring, but those who convert say that they are doing social work, by winning heart. So its a complicated issue. Under the constitution, conversion will be treated as an offence," Upadhyay said.

He added that to meet the demands made by Madeshis will require amendments in the Constitution by two-third majority. "There are so many divergent views and in Terai alone there are over 135 tribes, groups and people of different religion and language," he said.