Will treat cow slaughter like murder: Haryana BJP chief

Chandigarh: BJP Haryana chief Ram Bilas Sharma has promised to treat cow slaughter as a crime as heinous as murder. If elected, he said at the manifesto release function, the existing law would be amended to raise the punishment for cow slaughter from five years imprisonment to penalties that come with murder. The party's manifesto committee chairman Ganeshi Lal hesitated when asked if the amended law would invite life imprisonment and death penalty. "Why are you insisting that I say we will bring cow slaughter under Section 302?" he asked. "You should understand our sentiments."