Mumbai : The state government has backtracked on its plan to ban slaughter of animals other than bulls and cows. The Advocate General had told the court on Monday that the ban on beef was just the beginning and that goats were possibly next on the agenda.
Clarifying the government’s stand, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the legislative assembly on Tuesday that the Advocate General’s statement in the court was misquoted by the media.
“I have spoken to the Advocate General who has said that his statement in the court has been misinterpreted,” Fadnavis told the House.
The chief minister’s statement came in the wake of demands from Shiv Sena members Arjun Khotkar and Sunil Prabhu, seeking to know the state’s stand on Bombay High Court’s query to the government as to why there is ban on slaughter of cows, bulls and bullocks only, amid reports in a section of media that the government might extend the ban to other animals like goat.
“Neither Advocate General Sunil Manohar aired such a view, nor did he make such a reference,” Fadnavis told the House, adding, that the government has no stand on a blanket ban on slaughter of animals other than cows and bulls.
“Manohar told the court that the rationale for the legislation was to prevent cruelty against animals. To this the court asked whether slaughtering of other animals did not amount to cruelty.
Manohar responded that if the demand is made the government may consider banning slaughter of other animals in future. But, there is no such demand as of now,” the CM told reporters later in his chamber.
The new Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, banning slaughter of bulls and bullocks, was enforced by the BJP-led state government on March 4. Under the law, anyone found selling beef or possessing it can be jailed for up to five years and fined Rs 10,000.
