By Express News Service

MYSURU: Animal Husbandry Minister A Manju on Sunday kicked up a row stating that Union Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave, who died recently, might have been hit by a curse for his involvement in the Centre’s decision to ban sale of cattle to slaughterhouses.

Speaking to media persons here, Manju slammed the Centre for the ban stating that it will hit the farmers hard. ‘‘Probably the Union Minister who died recently might have been hit by a curse for signing it,’’ he said.

Manju said the shoes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wears are also made with cattle skin and by the leather industry, which goes a long way to help farmers. “The law is not in the favour of those who clean cow dung but only those who drink milk,” he said.

‘‘The Centre did not take the states’ opinion while formulating the law on the ban, which is essential in a federal system. The BJP government has imposed the rule in order to cover up its failures,’’ he said.

He said after consulting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he will write a letter to the Centre expressing displeasure over it. ‘‘If needed, the state is ready to go court,’’ he added.

The minister said the rule that a buyer of cattle should submit documents to prove that he is a farmer will cause a lot of inconvenience to the farmers. ‘‘It costs `2,000 to maintain cattle for a month. The farmers will not be able to take care of the old and ailing cattle and it will lead to opening of goshalas like old age homes,’’ he said.

Manju lashed out at BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa for saying that he will waive farmers loans within 24 hours of coming to power and said it’s just a political gimmick.