Cows up for Online Sale after Government’s Ban on Trading of Cattle

Cows up for Online Sale after Government’s Ban on Trading of Cattle

  • Government imposes ban of the sale of cattle
  • Sale of cows is surging in virtual market
  • The law is expected to leave many low-class group jobless, critics says

June 02, 2017: As the government's restrictions on the sale of cattle advances, farmers and livestock traders have become more equipped digitization buttressing the long term of Modi's Digital India. A rapid search on online marketplaces, such as OLX, shows that hundreds of cows are up for sale in the virtual world.

Last week, The environment ministry announced animal markets could only trade cattle for agricultural purposes, such as ploughing and dairy production. The law is introduced against animal cruelty, but critics say they are aimed at pacifying hard-line Hindu supporters of the Modi government. The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday suspended the order for four weeks.

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The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday suspended the order for four weeks.

Ravi Sharma, the resident of Varanasi was suspicious when asked about his online post, selling a desi brown cow for Rs 75,000. He then stated he has no interest in selling to a certain minority group.

In Ghazipur, close to Varanasi, Bheem Singh wants to get rid of three cows at the earliest, thus selling at 50 percent less than the market price. "It's too dangerous keeping cows anymore. Anyone can come and beat us," he said.

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The past two years witnessed a rise in attacks on Muslims and lower caste Hindus involved in the cattle trade, leading to several deaths.

On May 26, a group of "cow protectors" thrashed two meat traders on the suspicion that they were carrying beef. Police in Rajasthan's Bhilwara arrested five people, including an alleged member of the RSS who torched a truck last week, which they thought was carrying cows for slaughter.

Several state governments have appealed to the PM to revoke the order, which they say was issued without discussing them. While some have decided to drag the matter to the court.

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Environment Minister, Harsh Vardhan, said cattle bought and sold directly from farms would not be affected by the government's order. "The aim of the rules is only to regulate the animal market and sale of cattle in them and ensure (the) welfare of cattle" in the markets," he said.

However, many critics see the move as a blow to beef and leather exports that will leave thousands of people jobless and deprive millions of Christians, Muslims and poor Hindus of a cheap source of protein.

Cows have been sold on e-commerce websites earlier also but were only available occasionally under the pets section. However, ever since the BJP swept to power in Uttar Pradesh in March with priest-turned-politician Yogi Adityanath becoming the chief minister, there has been a swift surge and the rise of the gau rakshaks, or cow vigilantes.

Critics say a sense of fear has been instilled in farmers and cattle owners who feel safer trading within the restraints of the internet rather than an open market.

– by Staff writer at Newsgram

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