The ban on cow slaughter in Karnataka came into effect on Tuesday after governor Vajubhai Vala gave his assent to the ordinance of the BS Yediyurappa-led state government.
The much-awaited cow protection law bans slaughter of all types of cattle, except buffaloes which are older than 13 years and are certified as unfit for any utility. Convictions for violating the ban can result in rigorous imprisonment of three to seven years and a hefty fine.
Karnataka has officially slaughtered some 2.3 lakh heads of cattle in 2019 alone.
“Illegal slaughter is rampant because the old law doesn’t have teeth. There was a lot of illegal slaughter and transport of cattle to other states. We are trying to bring everything under a tight control,” said an official with Karnataka’s department of animal husbandry and veterinary services.
However, slaughterhouses will continue to function in the state even under the new law and the consumption of beef has not been prohibited.
The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill, 2020 was passed in the Karnataka Assembly during the winter session but got stalled in the Legislative Council where the BJP does not have a majority. The state cabinet was then forced to promulgate an ordinance, which would thus bring the law into force after the governor’s assent.
While the BJP in Karnataka – in line with the wishes of its party workers and Hindu voterbase – is looking to curtail the theft and illegal transport of cattle with the new law, the BJP in the neighbouring state of Goa is worried about a potential ‘crisis’ caused by the stoppage of supplies from Karnataka. According to estimates, nearly 25 tonnes of beef is consumed in per day in Goa. The state has only one authorised abattoir, the Goa Meat Complex, which is allowed to slaughter cattle. India is also one of the world’s largest beef exporters.
Beef consumption is also known to take its toll on the environment, having more of a carbon footprint than even four-wheeler automobiles. Beef requires 28 times more land to produce than pork or chicken, 11 times more water and results in five times more climate-warming emissions. When compared to staples like potatoes, wheat, and rice, the impact of beef per calorie is even more extreme, requiring 160 times more land and producing 11 times more greenhouse gases.
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