Don’t politicise cattle ban: Union Minister

Talking to reporters at Salem on Sunday, he justified the ban on the sale of unproductive cattle in the livestock markets. The ban has created an uproar across the country.

He further explained that the ban was to prevent unscrupulous export of beef and leather from the country, which is affecting the cattle wealth here. “We have to protect our cattle,” he added. Radhakrishnan clarified that there have been no religious or other intentions behind the ban. He further stated that the ban was not supposed to affect the people of a particular faith or caste. “We don’t look down upon those eating beef,” he added. He also denied allegations that the BJP government has been peeping into the plates of the citizens. 

Meanwhile, protests condemning the ban on beef continued for the third day in Coimbatore on Sunday. Tensed moments prevailed at the Coimbatore Junction on Sunday evening as the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) cadre tried to resort to a rail blockade. After much push and pull between the protesters and the city police, the cadre were stopped from entering the station. The police arrested nearly 175 protesting members.