SHILLONG: In Christian-dominated Meghalaya , which goes to the polls early next year, the state unit of BJP has refuted Congress’ claims that the Centre has banned cattle slaughter.“(The) rules do not, at any point, ban cow slaughter. Though the rules do not say it, the justification for them can perhaps be traced to the direction of the Supreme Court, which passed an order to frame guidelines to prevent animals from being smuggled out of India for the Gadhimai Festival held in Nepal, where largescale animal sacrifice takes places, and to Bangladesh,” JA Lyngdoh , vice-president of state BJP said.He added the Centre’s notification on May 23 regarding cattle slaughter “only regulates” animal markets. Responding to claims that the ban on cattle slaughter is an absolute one, he said: “The rules do not say so. Even if they did, they would have to be struck down as unconstitutional by the high court or the Supreme Court.”Lyngdoh said the SC had in July directed the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change to frame rules under Section 38 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The rules “have been misinterpreted as some sort of nationwide ban on cow slaughter”, he added.Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma , during his recent visit to Delhi, had said the notification should be withdrawn. He had said: “They are infringing upon the way of life and the culture of the people.” Lyngdoh said the food habit of tribals in the state would not be hampered.On June 12, the assembly had unanimously passed a resolution, which stated: “This House takes a strong note of the shortcomings and infirmities in these Rules (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Regulation of Livestock Markets Rules, 2017), as notified and resolves that the same may be withdrawn by the Government of India with an immediate effect, so as to maintain the federal and secular character of our Constitution or be faced with a situation where the law prohibits some activity, while the everyday-life practices it on a large-scale due to harsh economic realities, a situation surely to be avoided at all costs.”CM Sangma had told the House that the notification restricting sale and purchase of cattle in animal markets for slaughter would affect over 5.7 lakh households in the state. The government had framed the Meghalaya State Livestock Mission for 2017-2022 to promote livestock production.