Ban on cow slaughter in Karnataka.
On the last day of the session, the Karnataka Assembly passed the controversial "Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill 2010", which was introduced by the BJP Government on Friday night amidst chaos and vociferous protests by the Opposition.
The Assembly also passed several other Bills which include long-pending Karnataka Sanskrit University Bill.
As Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa wanted a detailed discussion on illegal mining in the State, the House went on discussing the topic the whole day. The cow slaughter Bill was passed by voice vote amidst dharna and noisy scenes by the members of the Congress and JD(S). Participating in the debate, the Chief Minister clarified that the Bill was not aimed at any particular group or community. He recalled that the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had written to States in 1982 asking them to ban cow slaughter. States like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Jammu & Kashmir had ensured total ban on cow slaughter and even countries like Cuba and Iran had also enforced strict ban, he pointed out.
When Speaker KG Bopaiah took the Bill for passage, the Opposition members, led by Siddaramaiah, took exception and trooped into the well of the House shouting slogans.
However, the Bill was passed by voice vote.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah and others, opposing the Bill, urged the Government to withdraw it as it was "draconian, unconstitutional and inhuman." It would create social unrest ultimately and lakhs of people would be rendered jobless because of the new legislation, they felt.
The Bill which was reintroduced after its withdrawal by the Yeddyurappa government called "Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill 2010" has stringent punishment for the cow slaughter. Leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah was in the forefront of the Congress dharna in opposing the bill. Opposing the bill at the introduction stage itself, opposition leader Siddaramaiah and others termed the bill as "draconian" and was "anti-people".
According to the Bill, cow slaughter and transportation would attract imprisonment ranging from one year to seven years and fine from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1,00,000, depending on whether it's a first time cognizable offence or more than once. The Bill also provided for stringent punishment for violation of the Act and provided for powers to "search and seize" of any premises which included "vessel or vehicle".
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