Guwahati: Assam on Wednesday banned consumption of beef in hotels, restaurants and community gatherings with immediate effect, days after the Congress alleged that BJP distributed beef to win the Muslim-dominated Samaguri constituency during the recently-held byelection.
An angry chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who earlier dared the Congress party to submit a written request, seeking a beef ban, chaired a virtual cabinet meeting from New Delhi, and soon announced the cabinet's decision to approve the beef ban.
"In no restaurant, in no hotel, beef can be served from today. Also, no beef can be served in various social gatherings like religious functions and other public functions. Public consumption of beef has been totally prohibited from today," Himanta said.
A cabinet brief said the decision will further strengthen the Assam Cattle Preservation Act of 2021.
This law bans sale or purchase of cattle within a five km radius of a Hindu temple or a Vaishnavite satra and in areas predominantly inhabited by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and other non-beef eating communities and their transportation within and through the state without permit.
"We found that in our existing cattle preservation law there were no provisions in regard to consumption of beef in community festivals and in hotels and restaurants. So now this cabinet decision will be incorporated in the cattle preservation law," Sarma said.
The ban under the existing law was limited to just five km radius of temples but now it has been extended to public places in the entire state, he added.
On Sunday Sarma said he was willing to prohibit beef in Assam after the Congress party's senior leaders including Lok Sabha MP Rakibul Hussain alleged that the BJP had distributed beef to secure victory in the bypoll.
Taking a dig at Congress on Wednesday, Sarma said, "The cabinet today analysed the recent statements of Rakibul Hussian and APCC president Bhupen Borah and it appeared that they too do not support consumption of beef. I hope they will support this decision."
Assam Congress slammed the move by the ruling BJP soon after the cabinet decision.
"'After leading the BJP to a humiliating loss in Jharkhand, the Chief Minister of Assam is attempting to obscure his failure. Like the discerning voters of Jharkhand, the people of Assam will also punish the BJP's corruption, misrule, and obscene wealth in the upcoming election," Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said on X.