The Assam government on Wednesday expanded the beef ban in the state and imposed a ban on serving beef in hotels, restaurants, public functions and other public places. Earlier, beef was banned in the state within a 5 km radius of religious places of religions that ban beef.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decision at a press conference held after a cabinet meeting of the Assam cabinet held in New Delhi. He said that the decision to expand the beef ban in Assam was finalised at the cabinet meeting.
In the #AssamCabinet meeting today, we took key decisions
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) December 4, 2024
?Public beef consumption banned
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?Boost to Sanskrit Education
?Promotional avenues for Fishery Officers
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The cabinet decision states, “To further strengthen the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, Cabinet has approved banning public consumption of beef in hotels, restaurants, community gatherings, etc.”
The CM said at the press conference, “In Assam, we have decided that beef will not be served in any restaurant or hotel, nor will it be allowed in any public function or public place. Earlier, our decision was to stop eating beef near temples, but now we have expanded it to the entire state. You will not be able to eat it in any community or public space, hotel, or restaurant.”
#WATCH | Delhi: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "…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… pic.twitter.com/B4URmVRBTW
— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2024
While beef is not completely banned in Assam, given its significant Muslim and Christian population, the govt in 2021 had banned it near religious places of religions that don’t allow consumption of beef. As per the Assam Cattle Preservation Act of 2021, the sale or purchase of beef and beef products were banned in within a radius of 5 kms of any temple or other religious institutions belonging to Hindu, Jain, Sikh and other non-beef eating communities.
The CM said that govt has been successful in implementing the existing beef ban around religious places.
The decision to expand the ban to all public places in the state comes days after the Congress party had accused BJP of service beef to voters of Samaguri assembly constituency, after BJP won the bye-election. Responding to the allegations, CM Sarma had said that if the Congress party requests in writing, he will bring a law to ban beef completely in the state.
However, as per the today’s cabinet decision, beef has been banned public places like hotels, restaurants and public functions, while no ban has been imposed of consumption of beef in private houses.
