A day after the Gujarat assembly cleared an amended law that gives life term for cow slaughter, Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister Raman Singh has gone a step further by saying "those who kill cows will be hanged".
"Have you ever heard of such a thing in Chhattisgarh in the past 15 years... those who kill cows will be hanged," Mr Singh retorted when asked by a reporter in Bastar whether a strict law will be framed against cow slaughter in the state.
Slaughter of cow, buffalo, bull, bullock, calf, and possession of their meat is banned in Chhattisgarh. Transport, export to other states for slaughter is also banned. These offences attract same punishment of seven years' jail and fine up to Rs 50,000.
Gujarat, where elections will be held later this year, amended the state's Animal Preservation Bill to entail a maximum punishment of life imprisonment for cow slaughter and 10 years for transporting cows.
The passage of the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2017 came nearly eight months after seven Dalits were beaten by self-styled cow vigilantes for alleged cow slaughter in Una.
The BJP is committed to protect "Gau (cow), Ganga and Gita", he declared earlier this month.
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