Declare cow the national animal: JD (U) to Centre

Patna (Bihar)[India], May 27 (ANI): Following the Government's ban on cattle slaughter and restrictions on the sale of cattle, the Janata Dal (United) has appealed to the Centre to declare cow as the "national animal". Speaking to ANI here, Senior JD (U) leader Neeraj Kumar said, "I appeal to the Centre that if they have so much love for cows then they should declare cow as the national animal." Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Harsh Vardhan on Friday said the ministry has notified the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 to ensure that the sale of cattle is not meant for slaughter purposes. "Aim of the rules is very specific. It is only to regulate the animal market and the sale of cattle in these markets, and ensuring welfare of cattle dealt in market. And the rule provides for a strict animal monitoring committee and an animal market committee at the local level," Vardhan told ANI. He said the seller and buyer both have to ensure that the cattle are not been bought or sold in the market for slaughter purposes. "An undertaking to this effect has to be given to the member secretary of the animal market committee from the seller as well as the buyer," Vardhan added. As per the notification, cattle are defined as "bulls, bullocks, cows, buffalos, steers, heifers and calves and camels". The rules also state that the purchaser shall not sacrifice the animal for any religious purpose, or sell it to a person outside the state without permission and must keep in with the state's cattle protection laws. (ANI)