The statement made by Animal Husbandry Minister K. Venkatesh suggesting the withdrawal of the anti-cow slaughter legislation has sparked a political battle in Karnataka.

The opposition BJP, planning to protest across the state, has been outraged by the Congress government’s announcement.

The previous BJP administration had considered the anti-cow slaughter legislation a key priority, aligning with their core ideology. The Congress Ministers’ declaration of its withdrawal has greatly unsettled the BJP, who was defeated in the recent Karnataka Assembly elections.

“We will not allow the Congress government to withdraw the anti-cow slaughter legislation. We will stage a protest across the State on Monday and in Bengaluru on Tuesday against such a move,” BJP State general secretary and MLC N. Ravikumar was quoted as saying by The Hindu. “We will intensify our agitation if the government does not change its plans,” he added.

Amid the development, let’s take at the anti-cow slaughter legislation and its various aspects in the state:

The Anti-Cow Slaughter Law in Karnataka

The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, which was passed by the BJP-led government in Karnataka in February 2021, extended the existing ban on cow slaughter to include bulls, bullocks, oxen, and calves. However, even before this law, cow slaughter was already prohibited in several other states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, in accordance with Article 48 of the Constitution. With the exception of Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Lakshadweep, all states and union territories in India have legislation in place regarding cow slaughter. It is noteworthy that the laws banning cow slaughter in many states are about 50 years old and were enacted during the tenure of the Indian National Congress, as per a 2017 report by India Spend.

The BJP-led government in Karnataka had previously introduced two bills in 2010 and 2012, which aimed to amend a 1964 Act. However, these bills were withdrawn in 2014 following a change in the state government. The current law, passed in 2021, introduced a more comprehensive ban, prohibiting the slaughter of cows, calves, bulls, bullocks, and she-buffaloes under the age of thirteen, in contrast to the 1964 Act in Karnataka, which allowed the slaughter of bulls, bullocks, and buffaloes.

Why Did Congress Say They Wanted to Withdraw It?

On Saturday, Karnataka’s Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences Minister, K Venkatesh, highlighted the challenges faced by farmers in managing aged cattle and disposing of deceased animals. In questioning the distinction between slaughtering buffaloes and bulls versus cows, he raised the point that if the former is permissible, why should the latter be treated differently.

The minister emphasized that amending the bill would serve the greater benefit of farmers in the state. This suggests that the proposed changes aim to address the difficulties faced by farmers in maintaining aging cattle and dealing with their carcasses.

However, the BJP protested vehemently against this.

Later, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the law will be discussed in the Cabinet.

According to him, there already existed a Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964 but it lacked clarity due to which an amendment was brought. However, the Congress government again went back to the 1964 Act. “They (BJP) had again brought an amendment. We will discuss in the Cabinet. We have not decided anything yet,” the CM clarified.

Why Did the BJP Protest It?

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday staged protests against Karnataka Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh’s statement that if buffaloes can be slaughtered, why not cows.

Referring to the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, which is also known as anti-cow slaughter law, Venkatesh had said on Saturday in Mysuru that the government will revisit the law.

His argument was that the previous BJP government had promulgated the law, which allowed slaughter of buffaloes.

Responding to a question on the difficulties faced by farmers in managing aged cows, the minister shared his own example where he had to get an earthmover to bury his dead cow.

The protests took place in Bengaluru, Chikkaballapura, Mysuru, Davangere and a few other parts of the state. In Mysuru, the BJP workers raised slogans against the Congress government for its decision to revisit the anti-cow slaughter law.

In response to Venkatesh’s remarks, V Sunil Kumar, a former minister and BJP legislator, accused the Congress of lacking love for both the nation and the cow.

“Whatever Indian ethos that are followed by people, the Congress hates them. Rescinding the cow slaughter prevention Act is one such example,” Kumar told reporters in Karkala, his assembly constituency, as per a report by The Hindustan Times.

“The BJP had formulated a law to prevent cow slaughter after holding a series of consultations with the people. The Congress had raised objections even when the BJP passed it,” he said. “Congress leaders and ministers have been repeatedly stating that the government will withdraw the act and revise textbooks. These clearly indicate the aim of the Congress government.”

Kota Srinivas Poojary, a former minister of the BJP, made an appeal to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other Congress ministers, urging them to empathize with the sentiments of the people.

“People have voted for you and you got elected as chief minister. But, that does not mean that you have all powers and do as you wish. If you bring amendments and changes to the cow slaughter prohibition law, members of the BJP will strictly oppose this and will fight against any move,” Poojary, a member of the legislative council, said.

“When the BJP was ruling, it brought the cow slaughter prohibition bill in both houses in support of farmers and to protect cows. This has become the law as Hindus worship the cow and it is necessary to protect them,” he added.

With inputs from agencies