:

chief Ram

Sharma has promised to treat

as a crime as heinous as murder. If elected, he said at the manifesto release function, the existing law would be amended to raise the punishment for cow slaughter from five years imprisonment to penalties that come with murder.

CHANDIGARH BJP HaryanaBilasThe manifesto document, however, talks only about strict implementation of the cow slaughter law. But Sharma demanded a harsher penalty for the offence, as harsh as murder. BJP’s national spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was present when the announcement was made.The party’s manifesto committee chairman Ganeshi Lal hesitated when asked if the amended law would invite life imprisonment and death penalty. “Why are you insisting that I say we will bring cow slaughter under Section 302?” he asked. “You should understand our sentiments.”State BJP spokesman Veer Kumar Yadav said the party was serious about checking cow slaughter. “After coming to power, we can amend the law in the assembly and make cow slaughter a crime punishable, attracting the same law as murder,” he said. “If needed, we would take consent of the Central government to amend the law.”Many observers found the announcement surprising given that Muslims form barely around 6% of the 2.5 crore population of the state, largely concentrated in Mewat district.“BJP is made up of fake ‘gai bhakts’. We Congress men have more cows at home than BJP leaders,” said Ran Singh Mann, spokesman of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee. “This is only an attempt to exploit religious sentiments.”However, acting president of Haryana State Gaushala Sangh, Shamsher Arya said cow slaughter has not been checked effectively. “There is need for a ministry for cow preservation on the pattern of Rajasthan,” he said.Former president of the Punjab and Haryana high court bar association Kulbir Singh Dhaliwal termed BJP’s promise as an attempt to exploit religious sentiments. “We have adequate laws against cow slaughter, so what is the need to make an amendment now?” he asked.Haryana has banned cow slaughter under the Punjab Prohibition of Cow-Slaughter Act, 1956. It invites rigorous imprisonment of up to five years.The Hooda government in 2010 established the Haryana Gau Seva Aayog. INLD in its poll manifesto has also promised to set up a commission to curb cow slaughter.BJP has also promised to set up international level research centre for conservation of cows apart from making efforts to improve local breeds. The party aims to double milk production in the state.