The rebel AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) faction today asked the Centre to withdraw its ban on sale of cattle for slaughter, saying it should not treat views expressed against the move as opposition and respect people's sentiments in this matter.
The faction's leader and former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam recalled that the late J Jayalalithaa had as chief minister in 2001 directed that a law prohibiting slaughtering of goats and hens in temples be implemented.
But there were "voices of dissent" from people and devotees who wanted the order to be recalled and Jayalalithaa "respected people's sentiments" and heeded their demand, he said in a statement.
"On the lines of the decision (then) taken by Amma (Jayalalithaa), the Centre also should not consider all views expressed against the ban as opposition (but) treat them as people's sentiments and withdraw the ban on sale of cattle for slaughter," he said.
The union environment ministry had recently notified the stringent Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, banning the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter.
The raging row over ban on sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets kept the political pot on the boil today as protests were organised in several parts of Tamil Nadu and the opposition DMK threatened to launch an agitation on May 31.
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