Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan on Thursday slammed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for imposing a statewide ban on beef consumption in hotels and public places. Hasan termed the ban as a violation of the “right to freedom” and warned that continued interference in people’s personal choices could lead the nation towards dictatorship.
Speaking out against the ban, Hasan emphasized that India’s diversity in cultures and religions is its strength, and such decisions go against the spirit of the Constitution. “It is the beauty of the country that we have people following different cultures and religions. These kinds of decisions are against the Constitution,” said the Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kairana.
The controversy began when Sarma announced on Wednesday that the Assam government had decided to completely prohibit the serving and consumption of beef in public spaces, including restaurants and hotels. This move follows the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, passed in 2021, which aimed to regulate cattle slaughter in the state. Sarma claimed that the law had been successful in curbing cattle slaughter, and now the government has extended its ban to beef consumption in public areas.
Sarma clarified that the earlier restriction on beef consumption near temples had now been expanded to cover the entire state. “We had passed the law on prohibition of cattle slaughter three years ago, and it was quite successful. Now, we have decided that beef will not be served in any restaurant or hotel, nor in any public function or public place,” said the Assam CM.
The opposition, however, has criticized the move, with several leaders voicing their discontent. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi questioned Sarma’s motives, suggesting the decision was an attempt to gain political leverage by creating divisions based on religion. “He should remember that he lost the Jharkhand election when he made it about Hindus vs Muslims,” Chaturvedi said.
Echoing her sentiments, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi accused Sarma of attempting to deflect attention from the BJP’s defeat in Jharkhand. “In Jharkhand, BJP suffered a shameful defeat under the leadership of Himanta Biswa Sarma. He is trying to hide his defeat and shift the narrative with this move. The people of Assam will punish the corrupt government of Himanta Biswa Sarma in the upcoming elections, just as the people of Jharkhand rejected the politics of hatred,” Gogoi stated.
As the political battle over the beef ban continues to heat up, it remains to be seen how this issue will impact the upcoming elections in Assam.
