'Like cows, farmers too have the right to live': Shiv Sena MP lashes out at BJP

In a sarcastic take on BJP-ruled states enacting laws making the punishment for cow slaughter harsher, the Shiv Sena on Monday said if there was a bitter penalty for killing cows, governments too were liable to be held responsible for farmer suicides.

“There are talks of a state handing out death penalty to those who slaughter cows...Then, murder charge should also be invoked against governments for driving farmers to commit suicide,” Sena MP Sanjay Raut told reporters here.

“Both farmers and cows have the right to live. Like cows, even farmers need to be saved,” he added. The ruling alliance partner also demanded a uniform law on cow slaughter.

Notably, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said on Saturday that those who kill cows in the state would be “hanged”. Last week, BJP-ruled Gujarat passed a law making cow slaughter punishable with life term.

In March 2015, the BJP-led Maharashtra government had enforced the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, banning the slaughter of bulls and bullocks.

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“Farmers going on a strike means the state is heading towards lawlessness. The opposition’s Sangharsh Yatras won’t work (in Maharashtra). The government should take firm steps to help the distressed farmers. Otherwise, it should be held responsible for their plight,” Raut said.

He demanded a uniform law across the country against cow slaughter. The Sena MP said the government should to take the responsibility of these animals (cows) when they get old.

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He also sought to know how the country remained one of the largest exporters of meat in the world when a “pro-Hindutva” government was in power. “In the last two years, the export of beef has increased substantially,” Raut claimed.