BJP took a swipe a t Congress on Tuesday, asking if the party would begin its term in Karnataka with a nod to cow slaughter amid suggestion from a minister that the state government may revisit the law banning it. The saffron party sought answers from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former chief Sonia Gandhi on the issue.
Answering a question at a press conference, Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Minister Parshottam Rupala said, “Do they want their government to start its tenure with cow slaughter. ”
Asked about it, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah had sai d the state Cabinet would discuss the issue while state Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh had said that his government might revisit the state’s anti-cowslaughter l aw. BJP functionaries slammed Venkatesh’s statement in which he asked “if buffaloes could be slaughtered, why not cows”. Former CM Basavaraj Bommai said, “Venkatesh’s statement is condemnable. Looks like Venkatesh is trying to woo a certain section of people. ”
“Once the governing party in the state takes a final stand, the central government will take cognisan ce of the issue,” Rupala said, adding that it brings to the fore the mindset of Congress. Rupala lauded the the central government’s initiatives in the fisheries and animal husbandry sectors and said the entire expenditure on fisheries since Independence to 2014 was Rs 3,860 crore. But one scheme alone—the ‘Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yo jana’— has a budget of Rs 20,500 crore and an additional fund of Rs 8,000 crore has been created to fill in the infrastructure gap, he added.
Answering a question at a press conference, Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Minister Parshottam Rupala said, “Do they want their government to start its tenure with cow slaughter. ”
Asked about it, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah had sai d the state Cabinet would discuss the issue while state Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh had said that his government might revisit the state’s anti-cowslaughter l aw. BJP functionaries slammed Venkatesh’s statement in which he asked “if buffaloes could be slaughtered, why not cows”. Former CM Basavaraj Bommai said, “Venkatesh’s statement is condemnable. Looks like Venkatesh is trying to woo a certain section of people. ”
“Once the governing party in the state takes a final stand, the central government will take cognisan ce of the issue,” Rupala said, adding that it brings to the fore the mindset of Congress. Rupala lauded the the central government’s initiatives in the fisheries and animal husbandry sectors and said the entire expenditure on fisheries since Independence to 2014 was Rs 3,860 crore. But one scheme alone—the ‘Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yo jana’— has a budget of Rs 20,500 crore and an additional fund of Rs 8,000 crore has been created to fill in the infrastructure gap, he added.