Kerala assembly terms cattle ban 'fascist' move, passes resolution

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 8: The Kerala Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw the May 23 notification of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, which banned sale of cattle for slaughter through livestock markets.

The Kerala Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw the May 23 notification of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, which banned sale of cattle for slaughter through livestock markets.

On a day which saw MLAs savour beef for breakfast at the Assembly canteen before heading for the special session, the note of dissent against the resolution came from O Rajagopal, BJP's only MLA in the house. Backed by the ruling CPM-led Left front and the Congress-led opposition, the substantive motion moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was passed.

The substantive motion highlighted the adverse impact of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 on states' agricultural economies, food security and trade of cattle and sought immediate withdrawal of the restrictions. “The House seeks from the Centre a validation of the states' rights to formulate policies and laws on state subjects,” the motion said.

“Theories of the sacred cow and ox, which even challenge the ones formulated by Darwin are being imposed upon the people,” CPM veteran and former chief minister V S Achuthanandan said. Rajagopal, the BJP MLA from Nemom, reiterated his party's stance that the ruling and opposition fronts joined hands to target the Centre and make political gains out of a non-issue.

Beef For Breakfast

MLAs who were at the Assembly canteen in the morning found a surprise entry in the breakfast menu – beef fry, quite in line with the issue the House was set to debate minutes later. U Prathibha Hari, CPM MLA from Kayamkulam, said she had the dish as a “protest” against the Centre's curbs on cattle sale. “I don't have beef for breakfast but today, I made an exception,” the MLA said.

Beef dishes are favourites in the canteen's lunch menu but the administrators are learnt to have made an exception for the day as well. Some MLAs sounded pleasantly surprised but were not going to let the treat pass. “It was not planned but when I found it as a special dish, I just had it,” S Rajendran, CPM MLA from Devikulam, said.

Kerala has hosted a series of beef festivals against the cattle sale restrictions, triggering criticism from Sangh Parivar outfits.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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