THE BAN ON CATTLE SLAUGHTER, SUSPENDED BY THE SC

On July 11, the Supreme Court suspended the prohibition on the trade of cattle for slaughtering, put up by the government. This move is a lift for the multi-billion dollar industry of beef and leather, which for the most part is run keep running by individuals from the Muslim minority.

In the month of May, PM Narendra Modi’s Hindu patriot government announced that business sectors could only exchange cows for agricultural use, for example, ploughing the fields and the manufacture of dairy products. Reason given for this move was halting the savagery on animals.

Since cows are considered holy in the Hindu community, their slaughter was already restricted in many parts of India. However, people who adhere uncompromisingly to the Hindu ideology have transformed into cow vigilante and have been progressively declaring themselves the upholders of law for animal protection, since Modi government came at the center, in 2014.

Muslims make up 14% of India’s total population (which is approximately 1.3 billion), and the decision to ban the slaughtering weighed heavily on their stomach as they are mostly dependent on it for livelihood.

The Supreme Court, focused on the stress that the restriction on the slaughtering of cows had imposed on the livelihood for this minority class. After giving his decision on the matter, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Jagdish Singh Khehar said that the living means of the people should not be taken from them. India’s meat and hide businesses account to more than $16 billion in annual trade.

P.S. Narasimha, who is the Additional Solicitor General said that after the decision was passed, the government told the court that it would alter and reissue its order, which was passed down in May.

The issue of slaughter ban had turned out to be exceptionally emotive with a rush of assaults on Muslims associated with either meat storage or transporting cattle for slaughtering. Since 2010, around 28 individuals have been killed in cow vigilantism related viciousness.