MK Stalin, Left parties hit out at restrictions on cattle sale

Chennai: Leader of Opposition M.K. Stalin and Left parties on Friday came down heavily on the Unon government’s restrictions for cattle sale and said it would hit agriculture activities and went against human rights guaranteed in the Constitution.

Condemning the move, Stalin said the notification would be against religious freedom and individual freedom. The BJP which came to power on promises of development, eradication of corruption and employment generation had failed to bring industrial growth and generation of new employment.

He pointed out that the Supreme Court had dismissed a petition seeking beef ban and said the centre's order snatched away the rights of farmers and minorities. It is also against the rights of states as the right to enact, Stalin said and demanded the withdrawal of the notification which would go against the basic right of people to choose their food.

CPM state secretary G. Ramakrishnan accused the BJP of trying to indulge in 'cattle politics' to divide the people and said it would prevent the sale of cattle which could not be used for labour. He said the act would lead to loss for farmers and tension and appealed to the centre to withdraw the act immediately.

The Modi government had gone to the autocratic heights of  Hindutva forces deciding what the people should eat, speak, write and think, CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan said, He said nearly half of the population had the habit of eating beef. As most of the beef-eaters from the oppressed sections and minorities, the move is a cruel and intolerant act against secularism and  the value of university in diversity.

The restrictions could cripple normal life of the people, he said. Terming the act as 'anti-people' and 'anti-democratic', he said the Modi government with only 31 per cent of people support was behaving in an arrogant and autocratic manner rejecting democratic values and destroying them.