Cattle traders defies

From our correspondent.

Garobadha, May 30: Fear and anger is high at Garobadha cattle market in Meghalaya’s South West Garo Hills, as people refuses to accept the new rule that bans sale of cattle in animal markets for the purpose of slaughter.

Garobadha cattle market is about 30 km from Tura in West Garo Hills and 22 km from the international border with Bangladesh, which is close to Mankachar town of Assam.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rule 2017 notified by the central government, with effect from May 23 has failed to dither the spirit of the traders and buyers, who came out in large number to the market today.

The traders are aware of the new rule but say that such rules will not have any ramification here. They said that if centre tries to impose such rules on the poor traders they will not allow BJP leaders to put their foot in Garo hills.

“Cattle rearing have been a means of livelihood for us. It is impossible for the centre to impose rules to restrict our trade. Nobody helps us to survive or provide us any other alternative. We eat and trade cattle for our survival”, said Dalseng Sangma, cattle trader from Rangsakona.

Traders from far-flung areas and hills arrive early morning at the market with their cattle. At the market, each trader have to pay Rs. 100 as “cattle tax” and Rs. 100 as “bazar tax” for carrying out the business. The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) regulates the weekly market.

The modus operandi – traders from plains of Assam particularly from Mankachar area purchases the cattle from the hilly areas and brings it down to the market for sale. The buyers are both Garos and non-Garos (Bengali Muslims). The cattle are purchased mostly for slaughter purposes.

Every week around 300-500 cattle are sold, while during Eid around 3000 cattle are sold.

“I have been into cattle trade for 40 years now. People buy cattle at the market for different purposes but mostly for eating”, said Aminul Islam, a trader from Kakripara from South Salmara – Mankachar district.

The traders feel that the new rule is an effort from the centre to impose controversial policy and hurt the sentiments of the minorities particularly Muslims and Christians.

“We cannot leave eating beef. It is an important food and culturally very significant for its use in different occasions. Marriage is incomplete without beef”, said Sebun Marak, a local cattle trader.

He said that the new rule puts a lot of burden on us with paper works it would be tedious and difficult to adhere to. “Most of the traders are poor and illiterate, such burden is not acceptable and the process itself is a way to restrict us from eating beef. We will never allow such thing to happen in Garo hills”, Marak added.

The new rule puts an onus on the trader to furnish a written declaration that the cattle have not been brought for sale for slaughter. The traders say it is absurd, as people would buy cattle for different purposes.

“Cattle market in Garo hills is not regulated. It would be difficult for the traders to accept such rules. The traders are mostly middlemen and some of them are rearing cattle for the purpose of sale only. There is no import and export of cattle legally from Garo hills”, said Mostafa Kabir of Anti-Corruption League from plain belt of Garo hills, opposing such rule.

“People in Northeast would continue to eat beef. Nobody will be able to impose restriction on our food habits”, he added.