“The bill is inspired by Article 48 and thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said (File)
The Assam government has said the livestock protection law in the state will also help prevent clashes over beef consumption. “We moved this bill on the first day of the meeting and the intervening period was almost 30 days. We were ready to consider all the amendments. In fact, for one or two amendments, the opposition could not present them with correct facts,” said Prime Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
“Our cattle bill is nothing but an improvement on the 1950 bill of the then Congressional administration,” he said. “The bill is inspired by Article 48 and thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi,” he added.
The Assam Assembly today passed a bill to regulate the slaughter, consumption and transportation of livestock, amid a strike by opposition parties in protest at the government’s refusal to pass the legislation to a select committee. Speaker Biswajit Daimary announced the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021 as passed.
“Since the bill has been passed today, no livestock slaughtering, sale and consumption of beef is allowed within a 5 km radius of a temple or monastery. Anywhere where significant Hindus, Jains, Sikhs or people from other non-beef-eating communities live, beef cannot be consumed,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the state government has completely banned the movement of livestock outside the boundaries of a district.
For agricultural purposes, if the movement of livestock between the districts is necessary, permission from the government should be sought.
“We must follow Gandhi ji and Article 48 – right to eating habit or freedom of eating habit, but in case of conflict between fundamental right and guideline principles, according to the Supreme Court ruling, the guideline principles would prevail,” Sarma said.
“Most of the inter-community clashes in the past five years or since have essentially centered around beef. Now, if a carnivorous person is not allowed to consume it within 3 miles of a non-beef-eating community, then there will be no conflict,” the statement said. Prime Minister.
“In Uttar Pradesh there is a total ban on beef, and in Assam we have regulated the sale of beef as in Assam 36 percent of the people consume it,” Sarma said, discussing the movement of cattle or beef to other northeastern states. would continue, but there should be a permit from the concerned state government.
