Karnataka minister Prabhu Chauhan to visit Gujarat, UP; study implementation of cow slaughter ban

Karnataka Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan will tour Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh to study implementation of anti-cow slaughter laws in these states.

Chauhan's visit to Gujarat and UP comes ahead of the winter session of the legislature where the government wants to table a Bill seeking to prohibit cow slaughter and consumption of beef.

Chauhan has announced that the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill will be tabled in the winter session.

According to a release, the minister will visit these two states as they have "successfully" implemented anti-cow slaughter bills. He will be visiting Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and Gandhinagar, Gujarat between December 2 and 4 to meet officials concerned and compile information on implementation of the legislation.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah met a Muslim delegation to discuss the proposed Bill. The Congress, he said, will oppose the law.

"The anxious Muslim community met me and held talks. Why is this law not implemented in the BJP-ruled Goa? Why only Karnataka? The Muslim community is fearful that this law will put them in trouble," he said. "If this comes up in the session, we will oppose it."

Siddaramaiah also said that the Congress would oppose any law against 'love jihad'. "The love jihad law in Uttar Pradesh is unconstitutional. Once a person has attained the legal age, he or she has the freedom to marry whoever. There's no law in our Constitution that prescribes marriage only with persons belonging to a particular caste or religion," he said.

Many inter-faith marriages took place even during the Mughal rule. "There were many people who were born to a Hindu-Muslim couple," he said. "Such laws do not have Constitutional provisions. They will be struck down if questioned in courts."