Badruddin Ajmal to ask Muslims in Assam to stop eating beef

Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, the chief of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has said he would ask Muslims in Assam to give up beef, a move that could help the BJP-led government's drive to regulate sale and consumption of beef in the state.

"I can only say that i will appeal them (Muslims) to give up eating beef," Ajmal said when asked by reporters in Guwahati on Monday about his reaction to the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill 2021, which was passed by the Assembly on August 13.

The Bill seeks to prohibit sale and consumption of beef in areas "pre-dominantly inhabited" by Hindus and other non-beef eating communities and within 5km radius of temples, satras (Vaishnavite monasteries) and similar religious institutions.

The Bill also prohibits transportation of cattle from other states or to other states through Assam without permission.

Read | Congress breaking ties with AIUDF will benefit both parties: Ajmal

Although the Bill says beef would not be allowed in areas "pre-dominantly inhabited" by the non-beef eating communities, Chief Minister Sarma in an interview to DH on July 15 said that the rules to be framed after the Bill is passed would bar consumption of beef in places where there is even a single Hindu or other non-beef eating people. He said that beef would not be allowed in most urban centres in Assam, where a mixed population lives.

Interestingly, all 16 MLAs of AIUDF spoke against the Bill and walked out of the Assembly, along with Congress MLAs when it was passed on August 13. The AIUDF was part of the Congress-led "grand alliance" of seven opposition parties in the Assembly elections conducted in March-April.

Ajmal's statement came days after Congress decided to sever its ties with AIUDF citing its "Continuous and mysterious praise" for BJP.

When asked about Congress's decision to sever ties, Ajmal on Monday further said it would benefit both the parties. Some leaders within Congress said the tie up with AIUDF caused more harm as it gave BJP a chance to tag the grand alliance as "protector of the immigrant Muslims."

AIUDF bagged 16 of 126 Assembly seats while Congress won 29 seats.

Phanidhar Talukdar, the only Hindu MLA in AIUDF resigned from Ajmal's party recently and is likely to join BJP soon.

Akhil's tirade against cattle Bill

Assam MLA, Akhil Gogoi, on the other hand, launched an agitation on Monday against the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill saying it would "demolish" the rural economy. "Many farmers, be it the tribals, Bengali Hindus or Muslims run their families by rearing and selling cattle. But the BJP government sidelined such a livelihood issue and passed the Bill just to push its Hindutva agenda. The Bill has been passed just to stop beef eating among Muslims. How can the government decide who will eat what? We (tribals) eat pork. Can they stop us from eating pork?" Akhil said while demanding that the Cattle Preservation Bill be scrapped.

Akhil said BJP and AIUDF are two sides of a coin and both are playing communal politics, one with the Hindus and other with the Muslims. He added that Ajmal was praising BJP government in order to protect his political and business interests.

Ajmal is also a perfume baron and has business in different parts of the country and in the Gulf countries.

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