Bill banning beef near temples passed in Assam after Congress, AIUDF walk out

Assam Assembly on Friday passed the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill 2021 that seeks to prohibit the sale and consumption of beef in areas "pre-dominantly inhabited" by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and other non-beef eating communities and within a 5 km radius of temples and satras (Vaishnavite monasteries).

The Bill was passed following a walkout by the Oppostion parties including Congress and Badruddin Ajmal's AIUDF, who demanded that it should be referred to a select committee for clause-wise discussion and necessary amendments.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma proposed for passage of the Bill in the Assembly after the opposition MLAs walked out as their demand for a select committee was turned down by the ruling BJP and its allies. The ruling alliance including Asom Gana Parishad and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) at present has 74 MLAs in the House of 126.

The Oppostion parties proposed 75 amendments including the clause for banning the sale of beef within a 5 km radius of temples and satras. But the government opposed the proposed amendments claiming that the Bill was framed in order to check communal tension.

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The Bill was tabled in the Assembly on July 12 and was passed minutes before the budget session ended on Friday.

The Bill also seeks to prohibit cattle from other states or to other states through Assam without permission.

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 the beef would not be allowed in most urban centres in Assam, where mixed population lives.

Opposition Congress and AIUDF said apart from creating communal tension and distrust, the Bill would cause huge economic loss to farmers. "In Assam's villages, people rears a buffalo or a cattle as an investment. They sell it and spend the money for education of their children or for marriage. This Bill will hugely affect such economic activities," senior Congress leader Rakibul Hussain said.

As the Opposition MLAs walked out, CM Sarma proposed an amendment for removing the buffalo from the purview of prohibition, which was instantly passed by the Assembly.

BJP MLAs chanted slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Jai Shri Ram inside the Assembly as soon as the Bill was passed.