Chennai: A public interest litigation has been filed in Madras High Court to restrain the Union and state governments from implementing the Prevention of cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 (imposing ban on sale and purchase of animals (cattles) in any market).
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar before whom the PIL filed by D.Parventhan, state secretary of advocates wing of VCK, came up for hearing, adjourned it to June 7.
According to Parventhan, India was one of the largest manufacturer and exporter of leather products. The central government does not have objections for slaughtering of animals, cattle for leather manufacture. But it was intolerant towards beef consumption.
However, the central government in the pretext of making rules to prevent the trans-boundary smuggling of cattle, has imposed its "Hindutva ideology" by way of banning the sale/purchase of cattle for slaughter/human consumption in the market places, he said.
He said the Prevention of cruelty to Animals Act clearly provides that the slaughter of animals was permitted for the purpose of food for human consumption, provided it does not cause unnecessary pain or suffering.
PCA (Slaughter house) Rules 2001 lays down detailed guidelines on how animal slaughter should take place, with minimum pain or suffering and the operation of slaughter house. By the impugned provisions, a citizen has been deprived of his right to sell or purchase any animal under the definition of the term cattle under the Rules.
Farmers and other traders involved in the sale of cattle and other animals and slaughter houses and its employees would be deprived of their right to livelihood as under the Rules the sale of animals for slaughter has been prohibited in any market. By imposing a ban on slaughter of animals for food, the citizens with a choice to eat the flesh of such animals would be deprived of such food, which violates the right to food, privacy and personal liberty, he added.
