Center's notification about cattle sale & Beef controversy in India

Last week central government sent out a notification banning the sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets. As per this notification, cattle can’t be purchased from animal market for slaughter but it can be purchased from individual farmers for slaughter. Certain section of Indian & foreign media and opposition political parties are equating this notification to fascism. BBC has termed it as food fascism and many Indian news channels & newspapers have termed it as beef ban. There have been beef protests in some parts of the country. Bengal CM has refused to implement this notification & Kerala CM has challenged it in court.

But is there is beef ban? This notification talks about ban on sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets. It doesn’t states only Cow and the notification doesn’t talk about beef ban. All Indian states except 9 states have some sort of beef ban by law. Majority of the laws were created way back in 1950s. Prohibition of cow slaughter is a Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Article 48 of the Constitution.[17] It reads, "The State shall endeavor to organize 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." Our founding fathers didn’t support outright beef ban but they supported protection for cow. And that’s why this clause was included in Directive Principals of constitution. Animal rights group has welcomed this step. They say that it will reduce cruelty towards animals. Kerala High Court observed that there is no ban on cattle slaughter or consuming meat but the bill only bans large-scale sale of cattle through big markets and the high court backed the Centre’s notification. But madras High Court has put the notification on hold for four weeks. We have a big problem of cattle smuggling. Lakhs of cattle are smuggled annually across to Bangladesh for slaughter. Even smuggled cattle are sent to Nepal for scarifies. I also demand from Centre that this notification should be modified in such a way that it doesn’t affect the leather industry and consumption of cattle meat in India. This notification will help India in long run. Lakhs of precious cattle would be saved from illegal smuggling and this will increase milk production in India.

There have been beef protests in many parts. Congress activists killed a cow on roadside and ate the beef. Open beef parties has been organized in which raw beef is being consumed to protest against this notification. I have never read or heard that Beef is part of Indian food habits. I accept that fact that millions of Indians eat beef but beef has never been a necessary part of Indian diet. You should eat beef (as per the law in your state) but you have no rights to cut the cow on street and eat raw beef. Cow is sacred animal for Hindus and we worship cow as mother. You have all rights to consume beef but I would request protestors to show some respect for Hinduism. And I would like to remind media that many food items have been banned in western countries also - America, Europe. We have liquor banns in Bihar & Gujrat. Is liquor ban not food fascism? Even though center has not banned beef but states themselves has banned beef under congress rule itself.
It is benign said that notification came out during holy month of Ramadan. The draft notification had come in public domain in January itself and there were no protests over the draft. The main problem with some media houses is that they have not accepted the fact that BJP has replaced Congress at biggest Indian political party. The same mistake is being done by BJP also. They are creating loyal media houses like what has been done previously by Congress & Left. Media should give correct information no biased news. There is no need to panic. Beef has not been banned by this notification by central government. So those who were eating beef before this notification can still eat beef without any issue.