Bengaluru: According to government data, since the BJP came to power in Karnataka in 2019, there has been a 67 per cent increase in cases of illegal cow transportation to slaughterhouses.
The increase in cases coincides to the enactment earlier this year of stringent amendments to the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act.
In 2019, there were 245 cases, which increased to 354 in 2020 and 411 this year. These are cases involving the transportation of cattle for slaughter, defined as a cow, a cow’s calf, a bull, a bullock of any age, and a buffalo under the age of 13 years.
The new Act makes it illegal to transfer cattle from one part of the State to another, or within the State for slaughter. Only transportation for genuine agricultural or animal husbandry purposes is permitted.
As per the data, many of these cases have been filed in Bengaluru Urban, Ramanagara, Mysuru, Mandya, and Shivamogga, among other districts.
In a statement to the Legislative Council, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said, “As soon as illegal cattle transportation is reported, local revenue authorities are informed, and the animals are brought to cattle sheds for safety.”
The new law prohibits the slaughter of cows in the State, forcing farmers to either care for their cows long after they have become barren or abandon them. Only terminally ill cattle are allowed to be slaughtered. Buffalo that are over the age of 13 can also be slaughtered with permission.
The government has promised that every district will have one goshala. The government has found land for the goshalas in 19 districts so far, with the other 11 districts still in the process.
According to Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan, the largest goshala will be located on 98.45 acres in Dakshina Kannada, one of the 19 districts where land has been made available. There are currently 190 private goshalas in the City.
