CM Sarma tabled cattle preservation bill in Assam assembly

Guwahati: On the first day of budget session in  Assam legislative assembly began Monday, State chief minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma
tabled a bill to protect the cattle  in the State. After passing the act would prevent the transportation of cattle (read cows, bulls,
buffaloes, etc) from Assam to other States and vice-versa. Under the legislation though the practice of beef eating is not
prohibited but it has been restricted in various localities with majority population of Hindus, Jains and Sikhs (precisely
non-beef-eating communities). Moreover, the slaughtering of cows and sale of beef is prohibited in adjacent areas to temple, satra and
other institutions pronounced by the authorities. Moreover, the slaughtering of cows will need a specific permission
from the competent authority in a particular locality. The slaughter houses will also be licensed. However, carrying cows for agricultural
purposes within a district and also transporting cattle to and from the registered animal markets in a district will be exempted from the
prohibition.
Assam Cattle Preservation Bill 2021 emerges very important for the BJP led State government in Dispur as the saffron leaders promised to
prevent cow smuggling to Bangladesh. However, it may create troubles for the neighbouring States like Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram,
where the majority Christian residents eat beef extensively and cattle reach those States through Assam only.
Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma  has already raised voices against the move. He threatened to seek interventions of the Union
government in New Delhi over the matter as the new legislation would impact the economy of Meghalaya with restricted meat (cow) supply from
West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, etc.