VHP demands nationwide ban on cow slaughter

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Friday suggested the government's decision to ban the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter would partially address the issue.

It also reiterated its demand for a nationwide ban on cow slaughter.

"The issue is cow slaughter and not only sale of cow. The government must immediately pass a national law to completely ban slaughter of cow and its progeny," VHP international working president Pravin Togadia said today.

He also advocated bringing in a legislation to ensure life imprisonment to those involved in cow slaughter.

The CPI, meanwhile, termed the decision as "most unwise" and claimed that the move would push peasants into financial crisis and insisted on its rollback. In a statement, party general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy alleged the move marked the beginning of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat's attempts to "convert the country into a Hindu Rashtra".

"This will be totally unacceptable to the people in the country," he said, adding that forcing vegetarianism will do no good to the nation.