Modi government may give a re-look to new cattle trade rules

Not only have the non-BJP but also the BJP- ruled states in the north-east made complaints against some of the pro visions. A senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Meghalaya Bernad Marak was so upset with them that he openly criticised the new order which led to his resignation from the party.

Some other party leaders in the north-east have also made their grievances public, so much so that chief minister of Manipur Biren Singh had to make a statement saying that the new rules were not aimed at changing the eating habit. Nor were they against cow slaughter in north-eastern states.

"The cow slaughter is not banned in the state. Nor is beef eating prohibited. So, the people of Meghalaya and other states have nothing to worry about", he has clarified.

People in the beef eating states like Kerala and West Bengal too have risen in protest against the new notification, although the Kerala high court has held the notification lawful and not violative of the animal cruelty act,

General belief is that the government may take out buffalo from the list of animals whose trade has been restricted in the new rules. Another hope is that the new rules may only apply to border areas to check smuggling and large cattle markets.

Environment minister Anil Madhav Dave's statement on the issue has created these hopes. " The government has not taken it as a prestige issue. We have received representation from various bodies and are examining them. Needful will be done soon". he has told a group of journalists. Dave has, however, clarified that the notification had nothing to do with cow slaughter. The states which have permitted that will continue to have the freedom to do so.