Chennai: Cattle sale ban for slaughter has united DMK and Left parties which issued a joint statement on Tuesday demanding the withdrawal of the notification.
Condemning the move, DMK working president M.K. Stalin, TNCC president S. Thirunavukkarasar, CPM state secretary G. Ramakrishnan, CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan, VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, IUML leader Khader Moideen and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leader M.H. Jawahirullah vowed to mobilise people jointly and independently to condemn the Union government. They also urged the state government to break its silence on the issue and record its opposition. They urged Tamil people to come to the streets and agitate against the autocratic act.
“Who gave powers to the Centre to decide on what people should eat or should not eat?” the leaders asked and welcomed the defiant stand of Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Tripura and Puducherry that they would not implement the notification in their states.
Thousands of people involved in cattle and meat trade would loss their livelihood. Besides, Dalits, tribes, backward communities and minorities will face more losses, they said. Since, the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has failed in all spheres, it is diverting the discussions and dissent from its failures.
He said the Centre’s move would affect all sections of people and alleged that the Centre had interfered in state’s rights in an arbitrary manner. The issuance of notification by the environment and forest department amounted to ignoring the rights of states.
The move will affect farmers who already in the clutches of poverty, since they are forced to maintain unproductive cows and aged cattle, they said and pointed out that it would lead to further economic loss for them. “Does the Centre want the continuance of suicides and breakdown of rural economy?” the leaders asked.
CPI announced a protest against the ban on June 6 and said it would be led by party’s veteran leader R. Nallakannu. TMC leader G.K. Vasan said he would lead an agitation on May 31 at Udumalaipet.
Former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam also joined the other leaders and issued a separate statement demanding withdrawal of the notification. DMDK leader Vijayakanth recalled that former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa withdrew the ban on animal sacrifice after strong opposition and wanted the Centre to do the same. Smaller outfits held protests by taking beef at public places at Coimbatore, Salem, Namakkal, Madurai, Dindigul, Tiruchy and other places.
