<p>Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday claimed that many Muslims across the state have "voluntarily" decided not to sacrifice cow during the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/eid">Eid-Al-Adha</a> festival on Thursday to show "respect to sentiments" of the Hindus. </p><p>"I am very happy and appreciate the gestures by many Edgah committees deciding not to sacrifice a cow this time. I hope that others will also follow suit and set an example," Sarma said while speaking in the State Assembly, while offering his vote of thanks to Governor's Speech. </p><p>"Such gestures will help us promote the sense of brotherhood. This is a good initiative given the fact that no holy books or scriptures suggest about sacrificing a cow," he said. </p><p>"During my first tenure as Chief Minister, many questioned my move to regulate cow slaughtering and sale and consumption of beef in Assam. But today, I am happy to see the Muslim society taking lead in that direction." </p>.Row over DU decision to conduct exams on Eid-ul-Azha holiday.<p>Sarma's statement is considered significant given the fact that several of the steps taken during his first tenure (2021 to 2026) have been termed as "anti-Muslim," mainly by the Opposition parties. This included the ban on sale and consumption of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/beef">beef</a> in hotels and the evictions.</p><p>Sarma, however, on Tuesday said the drive to clear the government land from illegal settlers and to "push back" the illegal Bangladeshi migrants would continue. "It is our responsibility to address the problem of illegal migrants and provide safety and security to the indigenous communities. It is our responsibility to take control of the land from the hands of a few, who have occupied the land in the char (riverine) areas and give it to the landless people and use them for development activities." </p><p>Referring to the recent results of the Assembly elections, in which BJP and its allies registered best performance by winning 102 (out of 126) seats, Sarma said, "Victory of candidates of BJP and our allies in all the seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes and areas dominated by the tea garden communities suggest that our development models have been inclusive. Safety and development has been our main poll plank and the results suggest that this has been well received by all the communities. Even in Muslim-dominated constituencies like Mankachar and Parbatjhora, candidates of our allies, Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People's Front have got more than one lakh votes. BJP and our allies have got more than one crore votes (our 2.5 crores) this time. So people have have given us the mandate to continue this development journey in order to put Assam among the most developed states."</p>
<p>Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday claimed that many Muslims across the state have "voluntarily" decided not to sacrifice cow during the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/eid">Eid-Al-Adha</a> festival on Thursday to show "respect to sentiments" of the Hindus. </p><p>"I am very happy and appreciate the gestures by many Edgah committees deciding not to sacrifice a cow this time. I hope that others will also follow suit and set an example," Sarma said while speaking in the State Assembly, while offering his vote of thanks to Governor's Speech. </p><p>"Such gestures will help us promote the sense of brotherhood. This is a good initiative given the fact that no holy books or scriptures suggest about sacrificing a cow," he said. </p><p>"During my first tenure as Chief Minister, many questioned my move to regulate cow slaughtering and sale and consumption of beef in Assam. But today, I am happy to see the Muslim society taking lead in that direction." </p>.Row over DU decision to conduct exams on Eid-ul-Azha holiday.<p>Sarma's statement is considered significant given the fact that several of the steps taken during his first tenure (2021 to 2026) have been termed as "anti-Muslim," mainly by the Opposition parties. This included the ban on sale and consumption of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/beef">beef</a> in hotels and the evictions.</p><p>Sarma, however, on Tuesday said the drive to clear the government land from illegal settlers and to "push back" the illegal Bangladeshi migrants would continue. "It is our responsibility to address the problem of illegal migrants and provide safety and security to the indigenous communities. It is our responsibility to take control of the land from the hands of a few, who have occupied the land in the char (riverine) areas and give it to the landless people and use them for development activities." </p><p>Referring to the recent results of the Assembly elections, in which BJP and its allies registered best performance by winning 102 (out of 126) seats, Sarma said, "Victory of candidates of BJP and our allies in all the seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes and areas dominated by the tea garden communities suggest that our development models have been inclusive. Safety and development has been our main poll plank and the results suggest that this has been well received by all the communities. Even in Muslim-dominated constituencies like Mankachar and Parbatjhora, candidates of our allies, Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People's Front have got more than one lakh votes. BJP and our allies have got more than one crore votes (our 2.5 crores) this time. So people have have given us the mandate to continue this development journey in order to put Assam among the most developed states."</p>