The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Saturday termed fresh restrictions on sale of cattle as mere "tokenism" which will not address the issue of cow slaughter.
They also urged the Narendra Modi government at the Centre to introduce a stringent law whereby killing of a cow or its progeny was made punishable with imprisonment for life "in every part of the country".
"The fresh restrictions imposed by the Union Environment Ministry call for undertakings to be given by buyers and sellers of cattle that the animals would not be slaughtered.
This is, however, mere tokenism and will not address the issue of cow slaughter", the VHP's international working president Pravin Togadia told PTI over phone.
"The issue is killing, and not just sale, of cows. Hence the Centre must bring a law at the earliest that completely bans slaughter of cow and its progeny in every part of the country. Violation of the law should be made punishable with imprisonment for life", he said.
He said cows are held sacred by millions of Hindus world over. Yet, they are killed with impunity even in those parts of the country where cow slaughter is officially banned, Togadia lamented.
The VHP leader was reacting to a notification issued earlier this week whereby a number of restrictions have been imposed on sale and purchase of cattle at animal markets.