Amid spat with Congress, Assam govt bans beef in public places

GUWAHATI: Assam's BJP-led govt banned Wednesday consumption of beef in public spaces - hotels, restaurants, and even social and religious gatherings - days after Congress accused BJP of distributing beef among the electorate as part of its winning strategy for the assembly byelection in Muslim-majority Samaguri.

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had responded to the accusation by saying he would be happy to clamp a beef ban if Congress made a written request, chaired an online cabinet meeting from Delhi before announcing that consumption of beef in public anywhere in Assam was prohibited with immediate effect. According to the cabinet brief, the decision is meant to strengthen the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021.

The legislation bans sale or purchase of cattle within a 5km radius of any Hindu temple or Vaishnavite satra (monastery), and in areas predominantly inhabited by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and other communities. The law also bars transportation of cattle within the state without a permit.

"We realised that our cattle preservation law did not have a provision barring consumption of beef at community gatherings, and in hotels and restaurants. The cabinet decision will be incorporated into the legislation," CM said.

Without mentioning the new order, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on X said that Sarma was resorting to diversionary tactics. After leading BJP to a humiliating loss in Jharkhand (Sarma was the party's co-incharge there), Assam CM is attempting to obscure his failure," he said.


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