Opposition prepares to take on govt over new cattle trade rules

Opposition parties plan to corner the Centre in Parliament over its order regulating cattle trade, a ban on sale of bovines for slaughter that was stayed by the Madras High Court on Tuesday.

A source in an Opposition party said informal discussions have begun on the steps possible in Parliament — particularly in the Rajya Sabha — on the issue.

“It could be a statutory motion. It could be protests in other forms. We cannot reveal our strategy at the moment. But discussions are on,” a leader from the Opposition camp said. He said a statutory motion is usually the only tool an MP has to challenge the rules created by the Executive. “If the rules are not in tune with the original Act, Parliament can amend it. Committee Subordinate Legislation can also discuss the draft rules,” the MP added.

Meanwhile, the Madras High Court’s stay for four weeks on the Centre’s notification has encouraged the Opposition camps. A Madurai Bench comprising Justices MV Muralidharan and CV Karthikeyan issued the interim order on Tuesday, reacting to two PILs that called for the rules to be quashed as they were against the Constitution, breached the principle of federalism and were contrary to the parent legislation — the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

The Centre, meanwhile, said it would consider the representations of States and some other organisations on the recent ban.

Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said the rules were notified in the backdrop of some observations made by the Supreme Court and a parliamentary committee to prevent cruelty to animals, and break nexus in animal markets, including smuggling.

“However, subsequently some issues were raised by a few State governments and other trade organisations. These issues are being examined by the government,” Naidu said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had written to his counterparts in other States asking them to oppose the rules. “It appears strange that the Rules are promulgated under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 since they have nothing to do with the objects of the Act. Neither are the Rules covered by the express delegation of legislative powers contained in the Act. Hence it is nothing but a covert attempt to usurp the powers of State legislatures in the guise of rules under a Central Act,” he said in the letter.

Former Union Minister and Congress MP from Meghalaya Vincent H Pala urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lift the ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets in tribal and beef-consuming States like Meghalaya. In a formal petition to Modi on Tuesday, he urged that formal views from all State governments be taken into consideration to review the rules and allow its implementation with State-wise necessary notifications.

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