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In a U-turn, JD(S) decides to back BJP government's anti-cow slaughter bill
In a U-turn, JD(S) decides to back BJP government’s anti-cow slaughter bill
Ruling party to support JD(S) for Legislative Council Chairman post
Bengaluru: In a clear indication of growing bonhomie between the ruling BJP and opposition Janata Dal (Secular), the latter, in a U-turn, has decided to support cow slaughter ban bill in the Legislative Council where it had met with stiff resistance from the Congress recently. The two parties are also working out a strategy to share the posts of Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Council. JD(S) is said to be seeking the support of the BJP for election of its candidate as Chairman of the Council in return for ensuring the passage of the controversial cow slaughter ban bill in the Upper House.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, JD(S) MLC Basavarj Horatti said that his party would support the anti-cow slaughter bill in the Legislative Council, where it is yet to be tabled. "Naturally, in the Council whenever the government changes, it is a question of the majority. If important bills are there, they will be passed. JD(S) and the BJP have a total of 43 members (in the 75-member Council), so no question of defeating the bill. We will support the bill 100 per cent" Horatti said.
This is contrary to the JD(S) earlier stand to oppose the bill. Both JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and his son H D Kumaraswamy, who is the legislature party chief, had repeatedly said they were opposed to the anti-cow slaughter bill. But now the statement of supporting the bill comes a day after JD(S) joined hands with the ruling BJP to secure the Legislative Council Chairman post. The sources said that under the arrangement, the BJP will support the JD(S) for the Chairman post, while the regional party will return the favour by ceding the Deputy Chairman post.
"Our party supremo HD Deve Gowda has already spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president JP Nadda in this regard. Deve Gowda-led party has agreed to back BJP's candidate for the Deputy Chairman's post. Though BJP is the single-largest party in the Legislative Council with 31 seats, it requires the support of JD(S) which has 13 MLCs for the passage of crucial legislation," Basavarj Horatti further added.
The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill, 2020, was passed in the Legislative Assembly, where the ruling party has an absolute majority, during the winter session amid a walkout by Congress and JD(S). However, the government couldn't introduce the bill in the Council due to the fracas over BJP's plan to move a no-confidence motion against Chairman K Pratapchandra Shetty forcing it to take the ordinance route.
It enacted an ordinance to enforce provisions of the bill. The government must get the Council's approval in the ongoing session5, without which the ordinance will lapse.
The bill provides for imprisonment of up to three years and a fine ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh for slaughtering cow, and subsequent offences will attract imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
