Anti-slaughter Act is against farmers: Maharashtra BJP MLC, slams cow vigilantes
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Photo courtesy of The Indian Express
Mumbai: Sadabhau Khot, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC and farmer leader from western Maharashtra’s Sangli district, asserted that the anti-slaughter Act should be ‘torn apart’ if it threatens the livelihood of farmers, according to The Indian Express.
Khot’s strong reaction comes a few days after Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar discussed with top police officials the growing menace of cow vigilantes, called gaurakshaks.
Asserting further, Khot said that the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act aiming to prevent the slaughter of cows, bulls and bullocks is against the farmers.
‘Let’s be very clear. No farmer would part ways with productive cows. Dairy is a supplementary business of lakhs of farmers in the state. The earning from this is now being spent on taking care of unproductive animals as transfer of these animals is not only banned but under threat from these so-called gaurakshaks. The Act (against cow slaughter) is actually turning against farmers,’ The Indian Express Khot as saying.
Pointing to the threat of cow vigilantes, he said that gaurakshaks bring transport of animals to complete halt by resorting to ‘extortion from genuine farmers and traders’.
The farmer leader has said that the present act should be ‘torn apart’, if it threatens the livelihood of farmers, adding that the act is not helping the indigenous cows as they are being replaced by Jersey cows.
The threat of cow vigilantes, according to him, has led to stopping the transfer of newer breeds from different states.
The cow shelters called gaushalas promoted by the state government, according to him, ‘should pay the market price to farmers for unproductive cows and must come forward to rescue the farmers’.
Ajit Pawar held a meeting with top police officials in the state last week following the Qureishi community’s complaint against cow vigilantes who allegedly ‘beat up and extort money from animal traders’.
Subsequently, state police in a circular said that private individuals have no authority to inspect vehicles transporting animals, adding that only police can act against them.