A non-official resolution moved by three AAP MLAs in the Punjab Assembly seeking to send foreign breeds of stray cattle to slaughter houses as part of measures to tackle the stray cattle menace, was opposed by the Congress, SAD and the BJP on Thursday.
Aam Aadmi Party MLAs Aman Arora, Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Baljinder Kaur moved the resolution in the House, saying the state government should take care of indigenous breed of cows and send the stray cattle of American and Holstein Friesians breeds to slaughter houses to protect life, property and crops.
Arora claimed that stray cattle of foreign breeds were responsible for the maximum number of fatal road accidents in the state, besides damage to standing crops worth Rs 200 crore.
Every year, 150 people lose their lives because of road accidents involving stray cattle, Kaur said adding there were around 1.10 lakh stray animals in Punjab.
SAD MLA Sukhwinder Kumar, however, termed the AAP's resolution against "religion and society".
"Sending stray animals to slaughter houses is not a solution," Kumar said.
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BJP legislator Arun Narang said that he could never think of killing any animal and proposed that more funds should be provided to cow sheds in order take care of stray cattle.
Raja Amrinder Singh Warring of the Congress said that he was not in favour of killing stray cattle but proposed that anyone who leaves cattle on road be sent to six-month jail. He also said a proper census of cattle in the state should be done and record be maintained.
AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu also refused to support the non-official resolution of his party colleagues and said that there should be an audit of the mobilisation of the cow cess to know where the money was being spent.
State minister and Congress MLA Charanjit Singh Channi asked Arora to amend the non-official resolution by removing the suggestion of sending stray cattle of foreign breed to slaughter houses.
Arora said if the state government could give a time-bound and viable solution to deal with the problem of stray cattle menace, then there was no need to send stray cattle to slaughter houses.
Later Arora told reporters that he had discussed this issue threadbare with certain leading Hindu organizations and leading minds of the Hindu religion and they were unanimous in saying that the indigenous Indian breed and American breeds had no biological or scientific relationship with each other.
Earlier, the House passed the Punjab Appropriation Bill, 2020, which was presented by state Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal.