Assam bans serving, consumption of beef in hotels, restaurants, public places

New Delhi: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Wednesday that the state Cabinet has passed a resolution to ban the sale of beef in restaurants, hotels, and public places. A meeting of the state Cabinet was held in Delhi earlier that day.

“Three years ago, we brought in a law to ban the slaughter of cows, and we have had a lot of success with that. Now we have decided that no restaurant or hotel will be allowed to serve beef. Additionally, in any public place or public function, too, beef will not be served. So, we have decided that from today, the consumption of beef will be stopped in Assam in public places,” Sarma said at a press briefing after the meeting of the Cabinet.

The state assembly passed the Assam Cattle Preservation Act in 2021, which banned the slaughter of cattle and the sale of beef. “Earlier we had decided that in a radius of 5 kilometers outside temples, the sale of been will be banned. Now that has been extended to the entire state,” Sarma announced. The violation of the existing legislation can invite a jail term of up to eight years as well as a fine between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.

The announcement also comes amid allegations by Congress leaders, including Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain and state president Bhupen Borah, in the wake of the BJP’s unexpected win in the recent by-poll in the Samaguri constituency, that the BJP won it solely by distributing beef in the Muslim-majority constituency.

Sarma said that he hopes for the support of the Congress. “In the Cabinet, we discussed point-wise, their allegations and realised that the current law needs a provision on beef consumption in community festivals or hotels or restaurants. I hope these new provisions will strengthen our Act and take forward Rakibul Hussain and Bhupen Borah's point. Hopefully, the Congress will support us,” he said.

Union minister of state for external affairs Pabitra Margherita told DH that banning the public consumption of beef is not a matter of religion, but people have always wanted it. “The leaders of the Congress have made some strong comments, and I will not go over that, but I hope Rakibul Hussain is happy with our decision. The Assam Cabinet’s decision is laudable and not a communal matter,” Margherita said.

At the briefing, the chief minister also said that a reshuffle of the Assam Cabinet is in the offing. “A reshuffle of the state Cabinet will take place on December 7; I have submitted a proposal to the BJP Central leaders. Their approval is likely to come in a few days,” he added.