Bill to deal with cow vigilantism tabled in Madhya Pradesh Assembly

BHOPAL: The Congress government in Madhya Pradesh Wednesday tabled a bill in the assembly that seeks to amend a BJP-era law to prescribe jail terms for violence in the name of cow vigilantism and ease bovine transportation.

Animal Husbandry Minister Lakhan Singh Yadav tabled the Madhya Pradesh Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in the ongoing monsoon session of the assembly.

The amendment to the Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention Act, 2004, enacted by the previous BJP government, proposes jail terms ranging from six months to five years for those engaging in violence in the name of cow vigilantism.

According to the bill, a person engaging in violence in the name of cow protection would face a jail term of six months to three years and attract a fine of Rs 25,000.

It proposes prison term of a minimum one year and maximum five years with Rs 50,000 fine in case a mob is involved in such violence.

Furthermore, the proposed legislation seeks to double the jail term for repeat offenders.

Besides, the bill proposes to ease transportation of cows which often invite the wrath of `gau rakshaks' (cow protectors).

As per the proposed amendment, the buyers of cows have to seek permission from the competent authority in their area to ferry them.

The buyers of bovines, especially farmers in MP, can approach the area sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of the district and seek a no-objection certificate (NOC) with details like number of cows and transportation route after the bill is passed, Yadav had told PTI earlier.

"The SDMs NOC would have to be pasted on the vehicle ferrying the cows not numbering more than 25 at one go purchased from other states as well," he had said.

The bill was cleared at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Kamal Nath last month.

The move to tweak the 2004 cow protection law comes in the wake of an incident in Seoni district where a minority community man and a woman were thrashed last month by a group of people on suspicion of carrying beef.