Panaji: A wing of Goa Church –Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP) – has urged Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to urgently intervene in the matter regarding Karnataka government’s Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill, 2020.
CSJP, in a memorandum submitted to the CM on December 15, has said that the memorandum is submitted to Sawant on behalf of the meat traders and beef consumers from Goa.
CSJP Director Fr Savio Maria Fernandes said that Karnataka passed the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill 2020, which bans the slaughter of bulls and buffaloes in the state as well as prevents their sale and transportation.
“This bill has badly affected the meat traders in the state of Goa which is dependent totally on the state of Karnataka for the supply of beef for human consumption,” Fr Fernandes has said in the memorandum.
He pointed out that earlier in 2015, the state of Maharashtra also passed such bill because of which Goa was made to depend totally on Karnataka for beef supply.
“Since agriculture is not conducted in a large scale in Goa, the animals needed for supply of beef are not available in the state,” he said.
“The supplyof beef or live animals for slaughter blocked by both the neighbouring states has seriously affected the livelihood of hundreds of meat traders, who along with their families depend solely on this trade for their survival,” Fr Fernandes added.
The Church body has also said “it is a fact that vast majority of the population in Goa consume beef. And for many of them, beef is the primary source of protein.”
Stating that the beef is also required for tourism industry, Fr Fernandes has said that Goa is also popular tourist destination, and beef is very important to the culinary businesses.
“In a multi-cultural society like India, such a ban will prove to be a challenge in upholding the plurality, which is the essence of our nation,” he added.
The memorandum has urged Sawant to take up the issue with his Karnataka counterpart urging him not to notify this Bill, in order to safeguard the livelihood of hundreds of meat traders who along with their employees are totally dependent on this trade for their survival.
