JD(S) to back anti-cow slaughter bill in Council: party MLC Horatti

Senior JD(S) MLC BasavarjHoratti on Thursday said his party will support thecontentious anti-cow slaughter bill in the KarnatakaLegislative Council, where it is yet to be tabled.

This is contrary to the regional party's earlierstand to oppose the bill.

Both JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and his son H DKumaraswamy, who is the legislature party chief, hadrepeatedly said they are opposed to the anti-cow slaughterbill.

''Now, theres no question of defeating the bill,''Horatti told reporters in response to a question about JD(S)supporting the bill.

''Naturally, in the council whenever the governmentchanges, its a question of the majority.If important billsare there, theyll be passed...JD(S) and the BJP have a totalof 43 members (in the 75-member Council), so no question ofdefeating the bill.We will support the bill 100 per cent,'' hesaid.

This statement by Horatti about supporting the billcomes a day after JD(S) joined hands with the ruling BJP forthe Legislative Council Chairman and Deputy Chairman post.

As per the arrangement, the BJP will support the JD(S) for the Chairman post, while the regional party willreturn the favour by ceding the Deputy Chairman post.

While Horatti will most likely be the JD(S)candidate for the Chairman post, BJP's nominee M K Praneshtoday filed his nomination for the Deputy Chairman post.

According to sources, the ruling BJP agreed tosupport JD(S)' Horatti for Chairman post, in return for theregional party's support to its no-confidence motion to oustincumbent Chairman K Pratapachandra Shetty of the Congress andpassage of certain key bills, including the land reforms bill.

The government last month had promulgated the anti-cow slaughter ordinance that provides for punishment forkilling of cattle and offers protection to those ''acting ingood faith'' to save them, as the bill to this effect is yet tobe cleared by the Legislative Council.

Under the ordinance, slaughter of cattle will leadto imprisonment of up to 3 to 7 years and a fine ranging fromRs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh, and subsequent offences will attractimprisonment of up to seven years and a fine from Rs 1 lakh toRs 10 lakh.

According to it, cattle is defined as a cow, calf ofa cow, bull and bullock of all ages and 'he or she buffalobelow the age of 13 years', while beef has been defined as theflesh of the cattle in any form.

The government had to opt for the ordinance route,as the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation ofCattle Bill that was passed by the Assembly last month amiddin with stiff opposition from the Congress, has not yet beenapproved by the Legislative Council.

The Council was adjourned sine die even before thebill was tabled there for passage.

For a bill to become law, its passage in theCouncil, followed by assent by the Governor is necessary.

According to sources, BJP, which had hurriedlytabled the bill and ensured its passage in the Assembly duringthe winter session, did not table it in the Council sensingthat the numbers were not in its favour with combinedopposition- Congress and JD(S)- against it, and may refer itto the joint select committee.