Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says beef consumption should be private, not public

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday, while explaining his position on beef consumption, said that he is not seeking to ban beef, but directed that consumption of it should be a private activity. This comes as a wave of allegations and counter-allegations were flung around against Assam Jatiya Parishad's Central Guwahati candidate Kunki Choudhury and her mother, Sujata Gurung Choudhury, for their alleged consumption of beef.

"There is a big Muslim community in Assam who consume beef. I am not stopping this. I am only saying, eat it inside your home. Don’t eat it in a public space,” he told reporters. He emphasised that such consumption should not take place within 5 kms of any temples.

"Now, Muslim people don't eat beef and are consuming buffalo meat after my request. We don't support the beef-eating culture in Assam. We have a cattle preservation act in Assam, and according to the law, if anyone violates the law, they will be jailed for three years," said Sarma to reporters. He further said that after the election, he will take action against such people.

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The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, does not prohibit the consumption of beef, but criminalises the sale and consumption of beef in public places, including restaurants and within a 5-km radius of temples and sattras, traditional Vaishnavite monasteries in Assam.

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, in response, took a dig at the Assam Leader, saying that vote out the BJP to save cows. Beef consumption found prominence ahead of the polls in Assam, after an alleged video of beef consumption by Kunki Chowdhury and her mother was circulated on Instagram. Himanta claimed that this "hurt Sanatani sentiments" and urged the public to file FIRs against her family.