Indian Supreme Court suspends a ban on sale and purchase of cattle.

Following the recent wave of attacks on Muslims suspected of either storing meat or transporting cattle for slaughter, the Supreme Court of India, on Tuesday, has suspended a government ban on sale and purchase of cattle especially buffaloes, cows and goats in legal states.

The Supreme Court while issuing its decision stressed the hardship that the ban on the trade of cattle for slaughter had imposed.

“The livelihood of people should not be affected by this.” Supreme Court Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Kekar said in his ruling.

An estimated 28 people had been killed in cow-related violence since 2010.

The Indian Prime minister Nirendra Modi announced a federal law nationwide ban at animal markets, allowing cattle trade only for plowing and diary production.

The official had cited animal cruelty and unregulated animal trade as a reason behind it “unconditional and unconstitutional” as it endangered the livelihood of millions of Indian employed in the cattle-related industries.

The apex court’s suspension of ban gave relief to the multi-billion dollar beef and leather industry. India’s bovine industry is one of the largest industries in the world and employed millions of people.

Many believed the federal ban was intended to protect the cows, which were sacred to most Hindus. This is why it was widely praised by Hindu nationalist groups. But it seems most of the hailers have failed to realize that India’s meat and leather industries were worth more than $16 billion per annum.

One of Times of India journalist said, “Muslims who made 14% of India’s 1.3 billion people. Government decree against the beef and leather, which employs million of workers, is aims at marginalizing them.”