Margao (Goa): Goa government will write to the centre raising certain objections to its recent notification which has raked up beef controversy in the country.
“State government will object to certain aspects and suggest certain corrections to the notification on Prevention of Cruelty Towards Animal Act. I have discussed with the chief minister Manohar Parrikar and he said he will write to the centre,” State Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai told reporters today.
He said “the concerned union minister has also spoken to the chief minister asking him to write about the objections to the notification.”
The Centre recently banned the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter
The environment ministry notified the stringent Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
Sardesai said following the notification there are apprehensions that government wants to turn everyone into vegetarian.
“Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has already made a statement that government is ready to tweak the rule to rule out any apprehension in the minds of the people.
We as Goa Forward party are giving note to the CM,” he said.
Sardesai clarified that Goa does not come under ambit of these rules. “We don’t have yard where animal is sold. But since there are inter-state ramifications, its effect is on Goa,” he added.
“There is significant section in Goa eats beef. There is doubt in the mind of people that needs to be cleared,” the minister said.
Sardesai said that personally his stand was that it (notification) will cause penury amongst farmers and it will hit the hospitality industry which is the backbone of our economy.
Now since Government is going to write to the centre on our stand with regards to the rule. So I call upon every section of Goan society that they need not worry, he added.
Talking about the suggestions to be written to the union government, Sardesai said “government may specifically give some points. The notification talks of milk and draft animal. When draft animal becomes old you have to kill it.”
“They have spoken about all sorts of animals including chicken and goats which means people will have to turn vegetarian,” he said.
Team TNV
