New Law In Bengal May Aid Cow Slaughter

The Mamata Banerjee government in Bengal will bring about a new legislation that will empower seizure of stray cattle from New Town, a satellite town of Kolkata’s. The reason? Stray cattle are a menace to motorists speeding down the expressway that slices through the township which was, till not too long ago, lush farmlands dotted with water bodies used to harvest fish. The acquisition of thousands of acres decades ago from the area’s thousands of farmers through mostly foul means for the township by the then Left Front government has been described as India’s worst land grab.

A couple of hundred farmers exist in the periphery of New Town and, as is the practice in rural India, they let loose their cattle for grazing every morning. These cattle cross the expressway to graze on grasslands that are now vacant plots awaiting construction. Once the new law comes into force, the police or New Town civic authorities can confiscate the bovines and if their owners cannot cough up the hefty fines for their release, the police or civic will auction them off. The bidders at such auctions will, no doubt, be cattle traders who will send the animals to slaughter houses.

The new law will, thus, come as a boon for cattle traders. And depending on its efficacy, the law may be extended to the rest of the state too. Cattle traders of Bengal are already salivating at the prospect of a windfall.