Guwahati: Reacting to the complete ban on beef serving in Assam, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said this move by the BJP government in the state was to hide the party’s ‘shameful loss’ in Jharkhand under the leadership of Assam CM and BJP leader, Himanta Biswa Sarma.
“In Jharkhand, BJP suffered a shameful defeat under the leadership of Himanta Biswa Sarma…he is trying to hide his defeat and shameful loss, he has come up with this conspiracy. I believe that the way Jharkhand people defeated the politics of hatred and infiltrators, the same way in the coming election, people of Assam will punish the corrupt government of Himanta Biswa Sarma,” Gogoi told ANI.
Serving of beef in any hotels, restaurants or during any public function or at a public place across Assam is now illegal. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced a statewide ban on serving and consumption of beef in restaurants, hotels and public places.
The decision, reports claimed, was taken at a state cabinet meeting. The existing law on beef consumption in the state was amended to incorporate the new provisions. Consumption of beef is not illegal in Assam, but The Assam Cattle Preservation Act of 2021 regulates the transportation, and slaughter of all cattle, and sale of beef and beef products in the state, reported the NDTV.
The state law bans cattle slaughter and sale of beef in areas where Hindus, Jains and Sikhs are in majority and within a five-kilometer radius of a temple or satra (Vaishnavite monastery). But now the state government has decided to expand the restriction to other areas as well.
The opposition All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) slammed the state government and accused it of diverting attention from key issues.
“The state government has failed to carry out development works… it has failed to tackle unemployment. There are major issues in the education and health sector… they are simply diverting the people’s attention through such decisions,” AIUDF legislator Aminul Islam told the India Today.
The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill was passed in the Assam Assembly through a voice vote in August 2021. At that time, a walkout was staged by the Opposition as it wanted the legislation to be sent to a Select Committee for discussion.
Violations of the provisions of the Act can lead to imprisonment for three to eight years and a fine between ₹3 lakh and ₹5 lakh.
