The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the central government’s notification banning the sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets. It might not be enough to dispel the fear that has gripped cattle markets.
Bhaisa Mandi, Delhi’s largest wholesale cattle market in Ghazipur, wore a deserted look on Tuesday. Not a single buffalo could be seen even during the otherwise busy morning hours.
Two security guards and a cattle trader sat in a small kiosk near the entrance to the market, facing an air cooler. “The market is open but there are no buffaloes for trade,” said the trader, Amit Kumar, as he walked out. Behind him, the security guards ranted about buffaloes getting too much media attention lately.
“What you see here today is all because of fear,” Kumar said. “Did you not hear about drivers getting thrashed by locals in Jharoda last week? There had been no business after that though the mandi is open all days of the week, except for a few hours on Friday.”
