K’taka anti-cow slaughter Bill adopted in a tearing hurry: Former CM

Bengaluru: Former Karnataka CM and Janata Dal (S) party leader HD Kumaraswamy has said the new Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill 2020 was introduced and adopted in tearing hurry and in long run it is bound to affect farmer adversely.

In a series of tweet, HDK said, “The Bill doesn’t appear to have taken measures to protect farmers, who actually protect and nurture cattle. The most prominent drawback of this Bill is that including male calves and bulls under the ambit would prove to be detrimental”

He further said,”It is a common sense that the male calves of only native cattle are mostly retained and nurtured as they are useful in farming activities. While the male calves of hybrid cows including HF varieties are not preferred as they are absolutely of no use to farmers because of their lack of ability to be agile like native species.”

“It is highly impossible as the hybrid varieties like HF cattle need a minimum of Rs 200 a day for maintenance. This is highly impractical.  This  would increase financial burden on dairy farmers and make dairying a loss-making venture. Already, the farmers are reeling under distress as milk unions have slashed the procurement prices by Rs 5 a litre ever since the Covid-19 pandemic gripped the state, ” he added

HDK claimed that with such impractical clauses,  BJP is trying to put further pressure on farmers which in turn may prove detrimental to farmers and ultimately discourage farmers completely from dairy-farming.

Kumaraswamy added that the clause insisting getting permits to transport cattle even for vaccination is bound to create “Licence Raj” in the farming sector and pave the way for corruption.

“It is an irony that the BJP government which talks of ease of doing business’ by removing license raj for big industrialists is actually enforcing such license raj on poor farmers. It is also not proper to hold the sellers as responsible in case of slaughter,” he said