Govt withdraws draft Live-stock, Live-stock Products (Importation & Exportation) Bill amid criticism
New Delhi, Jun 21: The government has withdrawn a draft Live-stock and Live-stock Products (Importation and Exportation) Bill after concerns over a provision in the legislation to allow for the import and export of "live animals".
The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has issued an office memorandum dated June 20 withdrawing the draft bill amid concerns raised by animal rights activists and other groups.
The Ministry circulated the draft bill on June 7, 2023, and sought public comments/suggestions on the bill that seeks to regulate the export of live animals from India.
"The Live-stock Importation Act, 1898, being the pre-constitutional/pre-independence Central Act, a need has been felt to align it with the contemporary requirements and prevailing circumstances related to sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and its extant Allocation of Business Rules, 1961," the memorandum said.
Some animal rights activists criticised certain provisions which they said were cruel to animals as the proposed legislation allowed for unregulated and large-scale import/export of animals. This could impact the gene pool of native animals.
The memorandum said that the role of the department of animal husbandry and dairying is primarily pertaining to support by having upgraded livestock health facilities, hygiene etc., including animal welfare aspects for overall development of animal husbandry sector.
"However, during the consultation, it has been viewed that enough time is required to understand the proposed draft and to make further comments/suggestions. Further, the representations have been made expressing concerns on the proposed draft involving sensitivity and emotions with' animal welfare and related aspects, and, hence, would need wider consultation," the memorandum said.
Considering these views and with the approval of the competent authority, the proposed draft Bill stands withdrawn, the ministry said.
The memorandum has been issued by GN Singh, Joint Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismisses defence minister in surprise announcement
Jerusalem, Nov 5: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday dismissed his popular defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in a surprise announcement that came as the country is embroiled in wars on multiple fronts across the region.
Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds over the war in Gaza. But Netanyahu had avoided firing his rival. Netanyahu cited “significant gaps” and a “crisis of trust” between the men in his Tuesday evening announcement.
“In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defence minister,” Netanyahu said. “Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister.”
In the early days of the war, Israel's leadership presented a unified front as it responded to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. But as the war dragged on and spread to Lebanon, key policy differences have emerged. While Netanyahu has called for continued military pressure on Hamas, Gallant had taken a more pragmatic approach, saying that military force has created the necessary conditions for a diplomatic deal that could bring home hostages held by the Hamas group.
Gallant, a former general who has gained public respect with a gruff, no-nonsense personality, said in a statement: “The security of the state of Israel always was, and will always remain, my life's mission."
Gallant has worn a simple, black buttoned shirt throughout the war in a sign of sorrow over the October 7 attack and developed a strong relationship with his US counterpart, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
A previous attempt by Netanyahu to fire Gallant in March 2023 sparked widespread street protests against Netanyahu. He also flirted with the idea of dismissing Gallant over the summer but held off until Tuesday's announcement.
Gallant will be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister who was a junior officer in the military. Gideon Saar, a former Netanyahu rival who recently rejoined the government, will take the foreign affairs post.
Netanyahu has a long history of neutralising his rivals. In his statement, he claimed he had made “many attempts” to bridge the gaps with Gallant.
“But they kept getting wider. They also came to the knowledge of the public in an unacceptable way, and worse than that, they came to the knowledge of the enemy - our enemies enjoyed it and derived a lot of benefit from it,” he said.
