Anti-cow slaughter Bill withdrawn

Anti-cow slaughter Bill withdrawn

Bangalore March 4: In what could be considered a strategic move, the State Government has withdrawn the proposed Karnataka Anti-Cow Slaughter and Cattle Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2009, much to the chagrin of members in the Legislative Assembly, especially the Opposition.

Minister for Law and Urban Development S. Suresh Kumar announced in the Assembly on Wednesday that he was withdrawing the Bill introduced in the session last year. The Chair allowed him to withdraw the Bill.

When Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah asked the Minister to explain the reason for the decision, Mr. Kumar said that the rules permitted the Government to withdraw any Bill, and he had used the provision.

The withdrawal of the Bill came as a surprise because the Government had been making statements that it was coming out with legislation with stringent measures to punish those who violated its provisions. The move to introduce legislation to strengthen the provisions of the existing anti-cow slaughter law had come in for criticism on the grounds that it was an attempt to interfere with the dietary habits of a large section of society.

 

Minister for Higher Education Arvind Limbavali tabled the Alliance University Bill, 2010 in the House, which envisages establishing a university of global standards in the private sector.