Minister of state for drinking water & sanitation Ramesh Jigajinagi in Alappuzha to evaluate the progress of v... Read More

ALAPPUZHA: Minister of state for drinking water and sanitation Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi has, on Sunday, said the BJP-led government at the Centre would not withdraw the notification curbing sale of cattle for slaughter.

The minister visited the district to evaluate the progress of various projects of the Centre, as part of third anniversary of the Union government.

Speaking to media, the minister said cow was considered as god in the country and it was the duty of the government to protect the animal.

“It is the responsibility of all people here to protect their god. We will go ahead with the restrictions even if states like Kerala protest against it. We did not come up with the notification to withdraw it later.Also, we do not have any plans to alter the norms stated in the notification,“ said the minister.

The minister also visited Kapithodu canal, a highly-polluted water body at Ambalappuzha here. Local people who gathered to catch a glimpse of the minister apprised him of the water issues in the region.

“It is the duty of the state government to clean this canal. If the state is not doing anything, the Union government would step in to solve the issues of the local people,'' he said.

BJP national executive member C K Padmanabhan , who accompanied the minister, rubbished CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury's allegation that BJP and Sangh Parivar were behind the attack on the latter. “The CPM leadership in the state is using the attack on Yechury to distract the public from the LDF's misgovernance in the state,“ Padmanabhan said.

Yechury was on his way to AK Gopalan Bhawan, the headquarters of the CPM in New Delhi, to talk about the agitating farmers when he was allegedly manhandled by two protesters, who were shouting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', on Wednesday.

