The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on March 14. THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) protests against the Maharashtra law which, apart from the ban on the slaughter of cows, prohibits the slaughter of bulls as well as bullocks. This law has now come into force after presidential approval. The BJP government in the state is now armed with draconian powers under the law by which any one selling beef or in possession of it can be jailed for five years and fined Rs 10,000. Even any individual who procures beef in any form from outside the state will also be liable for punishment. This draconian law violates the right of people who have the food habit of consuming beef. It will also affect the livelihood of people who are involved in the trade in beef. It will affect farmers who dispose old and sick cattle by selling them to meat traders. Apart from this law, other BJP state governments such as Haryana are also thinking of providing for more stringent punishment under anti-cow slaughter laws. The CPI(M) strongly opposes such draconian laws that deprive people in general of a source of food which is relatively cheaper compared to mutton and targeting the minorities by imposing upon them so-called majoritarian values.