UP Cabinet clears ordinance; Up to 10 years in jail for cow slaughter

Hailing the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to prevent cow slaughter, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari has said other states should also follow the same  

New Delhi: BJP leader Manoj Tiwari has hailed the Uttar Pradesh government’s move to prevent cow slaughter. He said other states too should follow Yogi Adityanath’s government.

The Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh approved the Cow-Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. It calls for up to 10 years of imprisonment and up to Rs 5 lakh fine for cases related to cow slaughter. 

Tiwari told Republic TV that India has been worshipping cows since ages and this move by the Yogi government will ensure that cows are protected. He also compared the Yogi government’s decision to the Centre's abrogation of Article 370.  He added that he doesn’t have words to say how big a work the UP government has done.

What is Cow-Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020?

The Cow-Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 calls up to 10 years of imprisonment and up to Rs 5 lakh fine. The aim of the Act is to protect cows.

For the first offence, a person can be given a rigorous punishment of one to seven years with a fine ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.

For the second offence, the person can be given a 10-year rigorous imprisonment with a fine up to Rs 5 lakh. In case of the illegal transportation of cows and other bovines, the driver, operator and the owner of the vehicle shall be charged under the new Act, unless proven that the transportation was done without the owner's knowledge by someone else for committing the crime.

The expenditure incurred on the maintenance of the captured cows will be recovered from the owner of the vehicle for a period of one year or until the cow or bovine is released, whichever is earlier.

The provisions also attract punishment if there is a danger to their lives through physical damage or mutilation.