The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday accused the West Bengal government of trying to "politicise" and "communalise" the ban on cattle trade for slaughter, asserting the state is free to frame its own law on the subject.
"One thing is very clear, it is a state subject. Mamata ji, you are free to frame your own law. Do not try to communalise and politicise the issue. Your agenda is communal," senior BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh told the media here.
He said only healthy cattle was taken to markets for agro-product or dairy farming purposes.
"The old and unhealthy cattle are meant for slaughter as they are not fit for mandis. Therefore, government made that rule. They (the Trinamool Congress) have made an issue out of the matter. It is being said that Modi government doesn't want to slaughter cattle during Ramzan," Singh said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has termed as "unconstitutional" the Central government's amended rule forbidding cattle trade for slaughter and said the decision would be challenged legally by her government.
--IANS
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