Assam Assembly passes Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021 amidst protest by the opposition

Aug 13: On Friday, the last day of the Budget Session, ‘The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021’ was passed in the Assam Legislative Assembly by a voice vote. However, the discussion on Assam Cattle Preservation Bill 2021 did not satisfy the opposition parties and a chaotic situation arose again. All the opposition demanded that the bill must be send to the Select Committee. Notwithstanding the protests, the Assam Assembly passed the bill by a voice vote.

‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogans were voiced by the BJP MLA’s inside the house as soon as the Speaker declared that the bill has been passed. 

LIVE from #Assam Legislative Assembly on 'The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021'. https://t.co/OaGV3xluNf

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 13, 2021

Participating in the debate, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the legislation doesn’t intend to stop anyone from consuming beef, but the person who eats so must also respect the religious sentiments of others.” “There will be communal harmony in India only if cow slaughter is stopped,” said the Chief Minister.

Extremely happy and proud to fulfill our poll promise with the passing of historic Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021.

I'm sure this will deal a heavy blow to the illegal cattle trade & transit through Assam, ensuring due care of cattle as practised in our tradition for ages. pic.twitter.com/9RZ4z4iCYd

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 13, 2021

The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021 Prohibits:

• Transport of cattle from or through Assam
• Sale and consumption of beef or beef products in areas predominantly inhabited by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and others
• Sale and consumption of beef or beef products within a 5-km radius of any temple, Satra or other Hindu religious institutions
• Slaughter of cattle without permission from competent authority.

Regarding prohibition of cow slaughter within 5-km radius of temples or satras, CM Sarma said that there are “kilometres and kilometres of area with no temples, and 70,000-80,000 habitations in the state have no Hindus at all”. Opposing the Bill, AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam said, “According to statistics, there are 19.327 crore cows in Assam. Cows are not endangered animals, why laws are being sought for conservation?”

CM Sarma stated that the new bill incorporates legal provisions to control the slaughter, utilization, and transportation of cattle According to the new law for the main offense, a person can be surrendered imprisonment of up to eight years and a fine of Rs 8 lakh and for the subsequent offense, the punishment will be double the penalty. “The punishment that the government has provided for beef traders in Assam is worst than punishments for extremists,” said Aminul Islam.