Why Banning Slaughter will Kill the Cow Economy

Modi government on 23rd May brought out Gazette No. 396, titled ‘Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017’. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change through the Gazette, bans cattle slaughter, restricts cattle trade and selling cattle for sale at the animal market. It allows only farmland owners to trade at animal markets. Cattle include bulls, bullocks, cows, buffaloes, steers, heifers and calves, as well as the camel. There would now be a District Animal Market Monitoring Committee, headed by a Magistrate for regulation of the animal markets in districts. The traders would now be required to go through paperwork for their identity, and to proof they own land. Identities, farmland ownership proof along with an undertaking to the animal market committee that the animals are being brought for agriculture and not slaughter, would now be required.
The tenure of the Modi government has already been one adorned with a huge downfall in employment, this step further attacks lives and livelihood of the people of this country.