The Meghalaya Assembly on June 12 unanimously passed a resolution opposing the Centre's notification banning trade of cattle at animal markets for slaughter and demanded its withdrawal as it would “impact the economy of the state and the food habit of its people“.
This is the second state after Kerala to do so. Even Karnataka has opposed the Centre's move.
Cutting across political lines, the members of the Assembly supported the resolution tabled by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.
“This House takes a strong note of the shortcomings and infirmities in these Rules (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Regulation of Livestock Markets Rules, 2017), as notified and resolves that the same may be withdrawn by Government of India with an immediate effect, so as to maintain the federal and secular character of our Constitution or be faced with a situation where the law prohibits some activity , while the everyday-life practices it on a large-scale due to harsh economic realities, a situation surely to be avoided at all costs,“ the resolution read.
The notification, it said, “travels way beyond the scope and object as set out in the Preamble of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960“, thus infringing the rights of states to regulate the items enlisted in State List (List-II of VII Schedule to Constitution of India).
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had issued the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 on May 23.
Sangma alleged that the notification was “designed to affect“ the people of the north-east in general and Meghalaya in particular.
This move comes as a huge challenge to the hegemonic policies of the Modi regime.