BJP leader in Kerala, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress MPs also criticise Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s decision
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan has strongly criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s decision to ban the consumption of beef in public places, hotels, and restaurants across the state.
Calling the move a violation of constitutional rights, Hasan stated, “This is against the right to freedom. If the government continues to interfere in personal lives, the nation will head towards dictatorship. The beauty of this country lies in its diversity, and such decisions undermine the Constitution,” the Lok Sabha member from Kairana in Uttar Pradesh was quoted by ANI as saying.
Beef and Cow
Interestingly, Major Ravi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Kerala unit’s vice-president has openly criticised the Assam chief minister’s decision on the beef ban. Major Ravi expressed concerns that such measures could lead to communal tensions and misunderstandings.
“First of all, you need to understand what is beef and what is cow. If you suddenly ban beef, this will give a wrong message to so many people. Beef is not a cow,” media reports quoted Major Ravi as saying.
The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, introduced in 2021, initially restricted beef consumption near temples. The chief minister’s announcement on Wednesday expands this prohibition statewide. “Earlier, the law focused on areas near temples. Now, beef consumption is banned in all public places, including hotels and restaurants,” Sarma said, citing the law’s “success” in regulating cattle slaughter.
Hasan was not the only leader to voice dissent. MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rajya Sabha member of Shiv Sena (UBT), accused Sarma of using divisive politics to distract from failures, referencing his role in the BJP’s loss in the Jharkhand elections. “The CM seems focused on gaining political brownie points. He should remember he lost the Jharkhand elections when he made it about Hindus vs Muslims,” media reports quoted her as saying.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Leader of the party in the Lok Sabha, echoed his sentiments, alleging the beef ban is an attempt to divert attention from BJP’s electoral defeat under Sarma’s leadership in Jharkhand. “The people of Jharkhand rejected politics of hatred. The same will happen in Assam, where people will punish this corrupt government,” Gogoi said.
Christian Leader Slam Ban
Under the existing law in Assam, cattle slaughter and sale of beef are banned in areas where Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs are in the majority and within a 5-km radius of a temple or a monastery.
“It is unfair to ban beef consumption” as it affects the right to consume food of one’s choice, Reverend DC Haia Darnei, president of the United Christian Forum of Dima Hasao in Assam state, told UCA News.
Darnei said the government should have taken the people into confidence before enacting the law. He said several tribal communities in the state prefer beef as it is their staple diet and easily available.
“What is the alternative now?” he asked.
