There is no beef ban, but there is one
There is a great deal of hysteria surrounding the notification by the ministry of environment and forests of the Government of India. It was widely circulated on social media through news articles and comments that there is an outright ban on beef consumption across the country.
But a careful scrutiny of the notification issued by the Union government will tell you lucidly that there is only a restriction on the sale of cattle for slaughter in animal markets.
The sale of cattle is now embroiled in paperwork, bringing the government into the picture for regulating cattle trade. Politicians across the spectrum have condemned the action of the Centre, by terming the act inter alia fascist and violating federal principles.
The chief minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, went to the extent of saying that there is an effective beef ban in the country now. In such a scenario, it is important that we open the notification and see what is really in the offing.
The notification explained
Most importantly, this notification creates a new body i.e., an animal markets committee, which is responsible for the upkeep of the animal market and for ensuring the welfare of the animals being traded.
According to the notification in controversy, no person shall bring cattle to an animal-market without submitting a written declaration signed by the owner of the cattle or his duly authorised agent to the member secretary of the new committee.
The name and address of the owner of the cattle, with a copy of the photo identification proof, has to be given. The notification also requires that cattle trade at animal markets only takes place for agricultural purposes. The notification restricts the purchaser of the cattle from sacrificing the animal for any religious purpose.
The definition of the animal-market is to be carefully studied here. The notification defines an animal-market as follows:
“Animal market” means a "market place or sale-yard or any other premises or place to which animals are brought from other places and exposed for sale or auction and includes any lairage adjoining a market or a slaughterhouse and used in connection with it and any place adjoining a market used as a parking area by visitors to the market for parking vehicles and includes animal fair and cattle pound where animals are offered or displayed for sale or auction".
This definition is wide enough to include any area where cattle is paraded; it also includes as an animal market “any liarage adjoining a market or slaughter house and used in connection with it”. This encapsulates the extent of its applicability.
Where will the slaughterhouses receive cattle from?
The biggest question, still unaddressed, in the aftermath of notification is whether slaughterhouses are permitted to procure cattle for slaughter directly from farmers. It is to be seen that no rule prohibits this and that slaughterhouses do have all rights at their disposal to continue their business, even though they are curbed from buying the cattle from animal markets.
As the restriction is on easy procurement of cattle from an animal market, the Union government is trying to remove the life supporting system to the already ailing business. A slaughterhouse is put to more difficulties and the endeavour is to let it be. Though there is no beef ban, effectively there is one.
The real issue
The need of the hour is not to continue the preposterous debate on beef ban and the effects of it, but a holistic debate on how a beef ban will stand to deprive thousands of workers engaged in various sectors - of jobs, their livelihood.
The leather industry will stand to lose a great deal as cattle skin, which is the fundamental raw material for this industry, will be scarce. Slaughterhouses will see layoffs. Thousands of workers who are employed indirectly will also suffer.
Overcoming?
It is important that we discuss how the restriction now imposed can be overcome. It is to be answered by the Union government as to how it is suggesting that slaughterhouses receive cattle for staying in business. Would not the owner of the slaughterhouse be disadvantaged after the new rules come into effect, as he will not be able to select the right cattle from the open market?
The owner of a slaughterhouse will now be forced to buy cattle directly from the farmer who is selling it, thereby depriving him of the choice to make a selection. The buyer will lose the right to choose the cattle.
Not always will he be able to procure the requisite number of cattle from a single farmer. The owner of a licensed slaughterhouse will have to look for farmers who are going to sell, further creating needless logistical difficulties. Slowly, they will run out of business which will force them to shut shop.
The new notification imposing restrictions on cattle trade is one which will massively affect the lives of thousands and without addressing certain basic issues associated with it, the government can never claim to have brought about a good law.