MUMBAI: Preserve cows and bulls but do not go after someone who innocuously consumes beef, the petitioners challenging the controversial ban on slaughter of bulls and possession and consumption of the bovine meat in Maharashtra told the Bombay High Court here on Wednesday.
A division bench is hearing a bunch of public interest litigations challenging Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act. While the original Act banned slaughter of cows in 1976, the recent amendments prohibit slaughter of bulls and bullocks too.
Senior counsel Aspi Chinoy, for one of the petitioners, argued that prohibition of slaughter is understandable but by criminalising even possession and consumption of beef, the state government has violated the fundamental rights of the citizens. “The state is going after someone who innocuously consumes and possesses beef. Beef possession and its consumption is not harmful. It is not like drugs or ivory where mere possession itself is harmful,” Chinoy said.
“This is completely intrusive and draconian,” he said. The arguments would continue on Thursday.
