Sanatan Haters: BJP Slams INDI For 'Anti-Hindu' Stance Over Beef Ban in Assam

New Delhi: In a major decision, the Assam government has banned the service and consumption of beef in restaurants, hotels and all public places; the announcement for the same has been made by the Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma . While the INDI Bloc has been criticising this decision, BJP has slammed the Opposition for their ‘anti-Hindu’ stance on this matter.

Assam Beef Ban: BJP Slams INDI Bloc for ‘Anti-Hindu’ Stance

The spokesperson of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Shehzad Poonawalla has questioned the several Congress leaders for opposing this ban, just for the sake of it, in ‘vote bank politics’. Shehzad Poonawalla has attacked Congress for not caring about the majority community of Assam - the Hindus. 

“They only want to indulge in vote bank politics. It was your challenge, your argument that this thing (beef ban) should be done and now when it has been done, you are opposing it. It shows that for vote bank politics, Congress can go to any extent to harm and hurt the Hindu sentiments. They have already supported the people who say ’Sanatana Samapt', stand with those who say ‘Sanatana ek beemari hai’; they say ‘ Ram Mandir naach gaana hai’, ‘Pran Pratishtha was naach gaana’, ‘Ram Mandir bekaar hai’ is what the Samajwadi Party had said - so whole INDI Alliance abuses and attacks Hindu aastha - ‘Hindu aastha par karo chot, taaki vote bank se mile vote’”, said Shehzad Poonawalla, slamming the INDI Bloc for its dissentment and aggression towards the Assam Beef Ban.

Supporting Assam government for banning the consumption of beef in restaurants, and public places, BJP MP from Darrang- Udalguri, Assam, Dilip Saikia on Wednesday said that this decision has no communal angle but has been made in favour of the 'Sanatana' culture of India. "Assam cabinet has decided to ban beef in public places. I support this decision. Cows are considered as a mother in the Sanatana culture. Beef is a restricted food in the Sanatana culture. We don't object to its consumption in private but serving beef in public places as most people consider it inedible...This decision has no communal angle but has been made in the favour of the Sanatana culture of India...,"Dilip Saikia told ANI. 

Assam CM Himanta Announces Ban on Service and Consumption of Beef

"Assam govt has decided to ban serving and consumption of beef in restaurants, hotels and public places", Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. A decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet to amend the existing law on beef consumption to incorporate the new provisions.

“In Assam, we have decided that beef will not be served in any restaurant or hotel and also it will not be served in any public function or public place, so from today we have completely decided to stop the consumption of beef in hotels, restaurants and public places. Earlier our decision was to stop eating beef near temples but now we have expanded it to the entire state that you will not be able to eat it in any community place, public place, hotel or restaurant", Himanta Biswa Sarma told a press conference.

Previously, consuming beef was not illegal in Assam. However, the Assam Cattle Preservation Act of 2021 prohibited cattle slaughter and the sale of beef in areas predominantly populated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs, as well as within a five-kilometer radius of temples or satras (Vaishnavite monasteries). This restriction has now been extended to other public areas.