"We will hang those who kill cows," Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh declared today, a day after BJP-ruled Gujarat passed a more stringent law making cow slaughter punishable with life term.
"Does such a thing happen in Chhattisgarh? I don't think it has happened in the last 15 years (of BJP rule). If it happens, we will hang those who dare do it (Marega to latka denge)," Singh told reporters in Jagdalpur rpt Jagdalpur.
He was responding to queries by journalists whether his government would, like Yogi Adityanath's in UP, take a tough stand on cow slaughter.
Slaughter of cow, buffalo, bull, bullock, calf, and possession of their meat is banned in Chhattisgarh. Transport, export to other states for slaughter is also banned. These offences attract same punishment of 7 years' jail and fine up to Rs 50,000.
The Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill was approved by the Legislative Assembly yesterday, providing for life imprisonment for cow slaughter, the first in the country. The bill also has a provision for ten-year imprisonment for transportation, storage or sale of beef. Cow slaughter is already banned in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi accused the BJP of "hypocrisy" over beef ban after the saffron party said it would not be extended to the northeastern states.
"In UP, cow is mummy, and in the northeastern states it's yummy. This shows BJP's hypocrisy. While they are talking about beef ban in UP, they have said there would be no such thing in the northeast.
"Assembly elections are going to be held in three states in the northeast. Beef is easily available in (BJP-ruled) Goa. You tell me what is this," he told a TV news channel.
Reacting to the Hyderabad MP's remarks, BJP Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy said," What's this mummy, yummy thing. Owaisi says he has faith in the Indian Constitution.
"Article 48 of the Constitution says cow slaughter will be prohibited. Let him say he has no faith in some articles of the Constitution, then we will see," he said.
Article 48 of the Constitution says," The State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter, of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle."
N Biren Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur too slammed Owaisi for his comments.
"Such wild allegations should not be made. We worship cows, we preserve them. He (Owaisi) cannot make such observations about the entire northeast," he said in Manipur capital Imphal.
In Manipur, the erstwhile Maharaja had in 1939 decreed prosecution for cow slaughter, but buffalo meat is consumed widely.
Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi supportered Owaisi's hypocrisy remark against BJP, saying it has been used by the saffron party as a "tool to further its politics".
"We have heard what Raman Singh has said....What's happening in UP. The hypocrisy behind cow protection is obvious. Saying that there will be no beef ban in northeastern states is political opportunism," she said.
Soon after assuming office, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered strict enforcement of the ban on cow slaughter and smuggling. Slaughter of buffaloes for meat is, however, allowed in the state. Buffalo meat trade in the state has been badly hit by the clampdown on illegal abattoirs.
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