BJP government in Assam piloting a Bill on 'Cattle Preservation' not only has to deal with controversies and criticism, there are some inherent contradictions in the saffron party as well.
In 2017, BJP chief minister of another northeastern state Manipur, N Biren Singh had also slammed cow vigilantism.
“Beef is very important here. All Christians eat it, most tribal communities, valley people eat beef. It is part of the traditional diet. Even the younger generation (of Manipur) has taken to it now," Singh had said.
Now, how would things really span out in Manipur vis-a-vis the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021 and the state which has a substantial tribal and Christian population now remains to be seen.
Along with the likes of Uttar Pradesh, Manipur also goes to the polls early next year. Goa also goes to the polls and the state has substantial Christian population. In 2015, Kiren Rijiju, the incumbent federal Law Minister, had said "I eat beef, can anybody stop me?".
So, the country's Law Minister, Rijiju hails from Arunachal Pradesh state and follows native religion Donyi Polo.
Christians and mostly tribals in northeastern states of India are irked over the BJP government's move to bring a new law in Assam that would prohibit beef eating.
The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill 2021 has been tabled in the state Assembly by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, a former leader in the main opposition Congress party.
The Bill aims to regulate slaughter, consumption and transportation of cattle. This could also put restrictions on 'movement' of bovines to states such as Nagaland and Mizoram where cow slaughter is not regulated.
K Therie, president of Nagaland unit of Congress party, says: “We cannot simply change our culture to suit the mainland as we need to be tolerant with the surrounding environment".
“Any restriction through the Bill will be detrimental to the inherent trade and deprive food to the people,” said Therie, a Baptist Christian.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, also a Christian, also expressed concern at such a legislation. “We are aware about the particular law that the Assam government is taking up. We have done our initial communication with the states that actually provide us with the cattle which are West Bengal, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh. The transit and transportation into the state from other states should not in normal circumstances be an issue," said Sangma, who runs a coalition regime along with the BJP.
If necessary, he said his government will take up the matter with the federal government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi so that 'transportation' of cows to his state should not be disturbed.
The apprehension is that in three predominantly beef eating states Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland, the supply of cattle could be affected.
The proposed law would prohibit sale and purchase of beef or beef products in areas “predominantly inhabited by Hindu, Jain, Sikh and other non beef-eating communities”, and “within a radius of 5 km” of any temple or Vaishnavite monasteries.
A Muslim legislator Aminul Islam of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has said that: “This is not a Bill to protect cows, or even respect cows. This has been brought to hurt the sentiments of the Muslims and polarise communities. We oppose it and will try and bring in amendments".
Debabrata Saikia of Congress party has said that the '5 km rule about beef' is highly controversial. " A stone can be laid and a ‘temple’ can be ‘built’ anywhere by anyone — so it becomes very ambiguous. This may lead to a lot of communal tension,” he said.
Chief Minister Sarma, known for being a confidant of PM Modi and federal Home Minister Amit Shah, has, however defended the draft law saying, it will "end" communal tensions in the state.
"So far, I have received overwhelming support for the Bill," he claimed.
The BJP government in Assam - which returned to power in May this year, also said that the new legislation would 'check cattle smuggling' to neighbouring country Bangladesh, which shares a 263-kilometre-long border with Assam.
As per the 1950 law, the cattle slaughter is allowed only for cattle “over 14 years of age” or those “unfit for work” subject to a “fit-for-slaughter certificate” issued by a local veterinary officer.
Under the new law, the cows cannot be slaughtered regardless of age.
“No certificate shall be issued unless the Veterinary Officer is of the opinion that the cattle, not being a cow, is over fourteen years of age; or the cattle, not being a cow, heifer or calf, has become permanently incapacitated from work or breeding due to accidental injury or deformity” it says.
The Bill bans transport of cattle to other states without a valid permit.
It also adds that cattle cannot be transported within Assam between different districts without valid papers.
However, no permission is required to transport cattle for grazing or other agricultural or animal husbandry purposes.
Pu Lalrupui, a student activist in Mizoram capital Aizawl, says, "Beef is the staple food for thousands of tribals and Chrtistians in Mizoram and in Assam also. The decision of the BJP government in Assam is guided by communal and political motivated reasons. Assam just had assembly polls, but now it seems the ruling party wants to keep the pot boiling for 2024 parliamentary elections".
"But banning cattle movement and beef eating in Assam will not affect Mizoram much. Our supply of cattle is mainly from neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh," he said.
Another native businessman and a Baptist Christian Medo Angami in Nagalnd's Kohima says, "Banning cattle movement is also bad economy. Cattle rearing was a dependable business for many farming community people. The supply of cows and buffaloes will be affected in Nagaland. Local Nagas do lot of pig rearing; now we may have to do cow and buffalo rearing also".
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