Victory for Animal Rights as Livestock Bill 2023 Withdrawn - Over 150,000 Concerns Received by the Authorities
In a landmark decision reflecting the growing concerns for animal rights and climate change, the Livestock and Livestock Products [Importation and Exportation] Bill, 2023 stands withdrawn after massive public outcry. The proposed Bill aimed to regulate the live export of animals from India faced significant resistance from various quarters.
The draft of the Bill was put up on the website of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying for public scrutiny on 8th June 2023.
The Animal Climate and Health Save India led the charge in urging government officials to reconsider the Bill, citing multiple compelling reasons. Live transportation, they argued, subjects the animals to unimaginable cruelty, as the animals would be forced to endure long distances without sufficient space to move, breathe, or stretch their limbs. The resulting filth and lack of escape or relief could also lead to diseases and even deaths among the animals.
Beyond the welfare concerns, the legalizing of live animal import and export conflicted with India's cultural roots that promote Ahimsa, the principle of non-violence towards all living beings. This principle of compassion is also deeply ingrained in major religions followed in the country.
In response to the draft Bill, Animal Climate and Health Save India launched a campaign that quickly grew massive and galvanized public support. A link and a QR code were created, which upon clicking or scanning, would open a pre-constructed petition in the form of an email which the users can review, edit, and send to the designated officials. Over 1,50,000 concerns were sent to the authorities within a mere 72 hours urging a reconsideration to pass the proposed Bill and recommended adopting the Plant Based Treaty to address the twin pressing issues of food security and climate crisis. Notably, the campaign spearheaded by Animal Climate and Health Save India resulted in the submission of over 87,000 emails and counting.
The collective effort to protect animal rights and address climate change gained significant traction, #SayNoToLivestockBill2023 was seen trending on Twitter with lakhs of tweets raising concerns against the Bill. Numerous celebrities and influential individuals joined hands to raise awareness among their followers with actress Jaya Bhattacharya, Zeenat Aman, Rashmi Gautam and the revered spiritual leader Devi Chitralekhaji used their platforms on social media to lend their support to the cause.
This victory marks an important turning point in prioritization and awareness regarding animal rights and climate change in the country. Instead of further commodifying animals and increasing their suffering, it is imperative to strengthen and implement policies that protect non-human animals and promote a sustainable future for generations to come.