Students' Federation of India (SFI) on Saturday staged a protest in Kerala against ban on the sales of cattle for slaughter by eating beef outside University College, Trivandrum.
Similar fest was also organised at different locations across Kerala.
After the Centre announced strict rules prohibiting sale of animals for slaughter or religious sacrifice at livestock markets and animal fairs, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) earlier in the day stated that by issuing this order, the government is imposing greater burdens on farmers.
"It is an absurd decision because this prohibition which the Centre has now announced includes buffaloes also. Buffaloes are in agricultural operations also, when they are too old or they cannot discharge the operation, the farmers sell them or exchange them for younger buffaloes. By issuing this order, the Centre is imposing greater burdens on farmers," CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury told ANI.
"Already, the government has admitted that in last three years more than 12,000 farmers have committed stressed suicides each year. By bringing in such type of order, they are putting more burdens on the farmer community and it is very unfair to India's 'annadaata'," he added.
The decision did not go down well with Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, who termed the move as 'illogical'.
"The government cannot decide the choice of our food. The decision seems illogical. The state government will look into it and see if anything can be done legally," Isaac told media.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Centre's decision was surprising which was unsuitable for a democratic nation.
However, welcoming the Centre's decision, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi said the step is laudable and has been taken 'in the interest of farmers.'
"'Haat' (animal market) were started for farmers so that the farmer could sell their cattle to another farmer. So if I have a cow and a calf and I don't want to keep the calf then I can sell it in the haat to the farmers. This mechanism was only for the farmer. Since last 15 years it has become only for slaughters. Slaughters have started purchasing the cattle from the haat. The slaughters used to purchase 80 to 90 cattle and carry it in their truck pretending as farmers. The farmers faced heavy loss because of this because they can pay Rs.4000 to Rs.5000 for the cattle while the slaughters are ready to pay Rs. 20000," Maneka told media.
Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Harsh Vardhan yesterday ordered that the ministry has notified the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 to ensure that the sale of cattle is not meant for slaughter purposes.
"Aim of the rules is very specific. It is only to regulate the animal market and the sale of cattle in these markets, and ensuring welfare of cattle dealt in market. And the rule provides for a strict animal monitoring committee and an animal market committee at the local level," Vardhan told ANI.
He said the seller and buyer both have to ensure that the cattle is not being bought or sold in the market for slaughter purposes.
"An undertaking to this effect has to be given to the member secretary of the animal market committee from the seller as well as the buyer," Vardhan added.
As per the notification, cattle is defined as "bulls, bullocks, cows, buffalos, steers, heifers and calves and camels".
The rules also state that the purchaser shall not sacrifice the animal for any religious purpose or sell it to a person outside the state without permission and must keep in with the state's cattle protection laws.
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