NEW DELHI: The home ministry on Tuesday told Lok Sabha that cow slaughter was not a punishable activity under the National Security (NSA), and that the Act provided for only preventive detention and matters connected therewith.

“'Transporting of cattle to farm activities and cow slaughters’ is not a punishable offence under NSA,” minister of state for home G Kishan Reddy told the MPs in reply to a question.

The ministry’s clarification comes even as state governments have been invoking NSA against those accused of cow slaughter. While BJP governments in states like UP and Madhya Pradesh have slapped NSA in such cases, though only occasionally, the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh headed by Kamal Nath surprised many when it invoked NSA in February this year against three persons in Khandwa district, charged with cow slaughter.

The trio were earlier booked under Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act. On the recommendation of the SP, the district collector sanctioned charges under NSA.

While NSA in itself does not make cow slaughter a punishable offence, the central government or the state government may, with a view to preventing any person from acting in a manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order , make an order directing him to be detained.

