Cow Slaughter Ban and the Welfare of Cattle

In recent years, state after state, under the rule of parties with diverse ideologies, has enacted legislation banning cow slaughter without serious consideration of the rationale and content of the laws or the practical problems of implementing them. Now we have aggressive attempts by vocal sections of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its affiliates to insist on extending the ban to cover production, sale and consumption of beef. This article looks at the issue of management of cattle and buffalo livestock in its entirety to shed light on what needs to be done and what shouldnot be done.