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President Pranab Mukherjee has given nod to the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 1995 which was pending from last 19 years. The bill was passed in the Maharashtra Assembly during BJP-Shiv Sena rule in 1995 and was waiting for the approval by the President.

The new Act will, however allow slaughter of water buffaloes, which provides carabeef. The carabeef is an inferior quality of meat that makes up to 25 percent of the total beef market in the state.

Beef traders asserted that this move will not only render thousand jobless people, but will also shoot up the cost of other meat in the state.

“Thanks a lot Hon President Sir for the assent on Maharashtra Animal Preservation Bill. Our dream of ban on cow slaughter becomes a reality now,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted.

“This is a historic step, which has cultural as well as economic implications for the state. We had passed this Act when we were in power in 1995 and had sent it for the President’s nod in 1996. Subsequent governments in the state, however, failed to do the needful to get the Bill implemented. We had promised in our manifesto to bring this Bill and we have managed to do it,” BJP MP from Mumbai Kirit Somaiya said.

The President has signed the Bill and has been forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which then informed the Maharashtra Governor of the decision.

Now, anyone found to be selling beef or in possession of it can be jailed for five years and fined Rs 10,000.

-Smrutirekha