"Welcoming move": BJP's Pratul Shah on Assam govt decision to ban beef consumption in restaurants

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], December 5 (ANI): BJP leader Pratul Shah Deo on Thursday welcomed Assam government's decision to ban the consumption of beef in restaurants and public places.
Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Deo said, " It is a very welcoming move, Congress should accept this decision wholeheartedly because Congress leaders had put forward this demand when there were allegations of distributing beef during by-polls. They had demanded a ban on this so now Assam govt has took a decision in the interest of the opposition."
Earlier, Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed attacked the state government for banning the consumption of beef in restaurants and public places and accused them of following the principles of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
"The BJP party has been attacking our Constitution and constitutional mandates. The Indian Constitution has given freedom to every person of India to have their own source of food and their choice of dress. And it is not new. They are following the principles of RSS. From the very beginning, they have been against the Muslim population and also against the lower-caste Hindus, Christians and Buddhists. It is against our constitution and an attack on our constitution," Congress MLA told ANI on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the government has decided to ban serving and consumption of beef in any restaurant, hotel and public places across the state.
The CM said the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, passed in 2021, has been quite successful in ensuring the slaughter of cattle, and "now we have decided to stop the consumption of beef in public places."
"We had passed the law on prohibition of cattle slaughter three years ago, and it was quite successful, so now, in Assam, we have decided that beef will not be served in any restaurant or hotel and also it will not be served in any public function or public place, so from today we have completely decided to stop the consumption of beef in hotels, restaurants and public places," the Assam CM said.
The CM said that the earlier decision was to only restrict consumption of beef near temples, but now the government has expanded it to the whole state.
"Earlier our decision was to stop eating beef near temples but now we have expanded it to the entire state so you will not be able to eat it in any community place, public place, hotel or restaurant," Sarma said. (ANI)