The Assam Assembly on Friday passed The Cattle Preservation Bill, paving the way for a ban on the sale of bovine meat within 5 kilometres of Hindu religious places as well as other restrictions.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma presented the ‘Cattle Preservation Bill’ for consideration in the state Assembly today and said that the state is stressing on a few things such as transportation of beef across the state borders.

“We are stressing on few things – transportation ban of beef across the border, ban of beef around 5 kms of a temple or Hindu religious place (satras), etc.. Protection of cattle is a scientific argument and does not have a religious one,” the Chief Minister told the Assembly.

Sarma said that the earlier Cattle Preservation Act of 1950 lacked sufficient legal provisions in order to regulate the consumption and transportation of cattle.

“There are kilometres and kilometres of area with no temples, and 70,000-80,000 habitations in the state have no Hindus at all… It can’t be that only Hindus are responsible for maintaining communal harmony, Muslims must also reciprocate,” the CM said in the Assembly.

The new law will also prohibit a person from slaughtering cattle unless s/he has obtained the necessary clearance certificate issued by the registered veterinary officer of the respective area.

As per the Bill, the veterinarian will issue the certificate only if s/he is sure that the animal, not being a cow, is above 14 years of age.

“We want to establish complete peace and tranquility in our state. If beef consumption is an irritant, then why not restrict it? Cattle law exists since the 1950s in India but the earlier law is not enough. I am taking this forward. There will be no lynching in Assam. I can give you 100 per cent assurance. Muslims are extremely happy in the state,” Sarma had earlier said.