Congress Government In Karnataka Considers Scrapping BJP's Anti-Cow-Slaughter Bill

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge claimed that the previous Basavaraj Bommai government's anti-cow slaughter bill is an obstacle to the state's growth and imposes significant financial challenges.

He said this evaluation was made not by the Congress but by the BJP government's finance department, as reported by NDTV.

Kharge stated that any rule implemented by the BJP government that is detrimental to the state's economic and social progress will be abolished, not just cow slaughter or hijab.

Additionally, he said that the Congress government's focus is solely on economic development, not politics, and is not concerned about any potential political repercussions.

He claimed the cow slaughter ban pleased the BJP's "bosses in Nagpur," but failed to satisfy farmers or the industry.

"This bill may be reconsidered in view of huge financial implications. We cannot agree to this kind of expenditure when we are struggling to make ends meet. The next two years, we expect a contraction in budget size and the cabinet's decision can be put on hold," he said, reading from a note of the finance department written during BJP rule.

Kharge, overseeing rural development and panchayati raj in the new Congress government led by Siddaramaiah, claimed that the BJP's cow protection strategies were economic liabilities.

The son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge highlighted the party's huge victory in the state's assembly election last month when questioned about the political consequences of the measures.

"We are looking at the economic growth of Karnataka… farmers, traders, MSMEs... we have got a huge mandate against this ideology. We have got a huge mandate to keep Karnataka on the path of progress... as a government is it not my priority to keep every child in school? If a certain policy is regressive and is keeping my children out of school, will I keep it or repeal it?" he said.

The Congress won 135 of the 244 seats in Karnataka.

"Any regressive policy that impedes the growth of Karnataka economically and is going to take the state backwards will be reviewed and repealed if necessary," Kharge said.