Anti-cow slaughter Bill passed in Karnataka Legislative Council
Bengaluru, Feb 8: The anti-cow slaughter Bill was passed in the Karnataka Legislative Council by a voice-vote on Monday amid protest by the Congress party and JD(S).
The Bill, already passed by the Assembly, was put to vote by Deputy Chairman of the council M K Pranesh.
JD(S) MLCs trooped into the well of the House and some of them tore the copies of the Bill and threw them near the Chair.
Despite this, the Deputy Chairman announced that the Bill has been passed. The BJP members thumped the desk and expressed happiness.
Later, the House was adjourned for Tuesday.
Earlier, Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan presented the Bill for consideration of the House.
During the discussion, several Congress and JD(S) MLCs termed the Bill as anti-farmers, said it was targeting certain sections of people and demanded that it be withdrawn or be referred to the joint select committee for vetting.
Expressing happiness over the passage of the Bill, Chauhan said there were more than 75 domestic breeds of cattle but now there were only 35 breeds for want of conservation.
With the Act cominginto effect, the efforts for conservation would gain strength, he said.
The government had, on January5, promulgated the anti- cowslaughterordinance that provides for punishment for killing ofcattleand offers protection to those acting in good faith to save them, as the Bill to this effect was yet to be cleared by the Legislative Council.
Under the ordinance,slaughterofcattlewould lead to imprisonment of upto 3 to 7 years and a fine ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh. Subsequent offences would attract imprisonment of upto seven years and a fine from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
According to the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Ordinance-2020, cattle is defined as a cow, calf of a cow, bull and bullock of all ages and he or she buffalo below the age of 13, while beef has been defined as the flesh of the cattle in any form.
For a Bill to become a law, its passage in both Houses followed by assent by the Governor is necessary.
However, as the Council was adjourned sine die even before the Bill was tabled there for passage during the winter session, the government opted for the ordinance route.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
