Union minister mocks at Vijayan on CMs' meet on cattle issue

Kochi: Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Sunday advised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to "find better causes for a federal unity", rather than organising a meeting of chief ministers to discuss the Centre's ban on sale of cattle at animal markets for slaughter.

The senior BJP leader rejected allegations that the NDA government brought the notification to impose restrictions on the eating habits of the people.

"It is entirely his (Vijayan's) call. I can only gently remind him that he can find better causes for a federal unity," he said in response to a query about the Kerala chief minister's move.

Vijayan has written to his counterparts in other states, appealing them to stand together in opposing the "anti- federal" move of the Centre.

Raking up the issue of "political violence" in Kerala, Prasad said, "When he (Vijayan) calls for a federal unity, he and his party must also allow our workers to work freely in the state.

"It is good if he is talking about freedom. But, the BJP-RSS cadres are being attacked in Kerala. How does it gel with the state's great open culture?," he wondered, adding that the southern state was always "open to new ideas".

Reminding Vijayan that Kerala was the first state in the country to elect a Communist government led by EMS Namboodiripad, Prasad said if that reflected the openness of Kerala and its people, then they should also be given the "liberty to experiment" with the BJP.

"Whether the party gets acceptance or not is a call of the people," he added.

The Union Law Minister said protection of cow was a "fundamental obligation" of the people of the country and the Centre's notification only said that the cattle markets would not be a place for purchasing the animals for slaughter.

"It does not say that you can not purchase cattle from a farm. The recognised cattle markets shall not be used for the purpose (slaughtering). There is no restriction as far as eating habits are concerned. I do not buy the logic that slaughtering can be done only by purchasing the cattle from the markets," he said.

Prasad added that conventionally, cattle markets were used for the exchange of bull or oxen for cultivation.

"That has been the norm," he said.