In West Bengal, India, new cattle slaughter restrictions imposed by the recently formed BJP-led state government have triggered widespread unrest ahead of Eid al-Adha. The directive enforces strict certification requirements under the 1950 West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act and a 2018 High Court order, allowing slaughter only for animals over 14 years old or permanently unfit for work or breeding. Public slaughter is banned, and violations carry fines or jail terms. As a result, cattle markets have emptied, with traders and buyers avoiding legal risks.

The crisis has hit Hindu cattle farmers hardest, many of whom raise cattle year-round on loans expecting Eid sales. With markets frozen, they face mounting debt and losses, some publicly threatening suicide and demanding the government or Prime Minister Narendra Modi buy their unsold cattle. Opposition figures and local legislators have criticized the age-verification rule as impractical, questioning how authorities can determine a cow’s age without birth records.

Critics also highlight a policy contradiction: while small farmers face restrictions, India remains one of the world’s top beef exporters, earning billions annually from corporate meat exports, raising questions about fairness in livestock policy.