Assam's cattle preservation bill will not impact Meghalaya, says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday allayed fears of Meghalaya residents concerning the reported possibilities of non-availability of the beef following the introduction of the Cattle Preservation Bill by the Assam government.
"Our bill will not affect the consumption of beef or supply of cattle to Meghalaya or Nagaland or Arunachal. They are free to bring things through Assam but, the only thing is for them to issue a permit," Sarma told media persons on the sidelines of a programme held at Sohra in Meghalaya on July 25.
Meghalaya is one of the states in the Northeast with the highest population that consume beef and the state is highly dependent on other states across the country in terms of supply of cattle.
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According to the Assam CM, the law is very clear; whenever a respective state government provides a permit for the transportation of cattle through Assam, the state will release the consignment.
"This ban is within the geography and jurisdiction of Assam and, whenever Meghalaya or Arunachal or Nagaland needs consignment, only the state governments can certify that the vehicles are plying to their (respective) state," Sarma clarified.
The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021 was tabled by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on the inaugural day of the budget session of the state Assembly on July 12.
The Bill proposes to prohibit the transportation of cows from any place within Assam to places outside the state and ban such transportation from places outside Assam to any place within the state.
The new legislation also aims to regulate the sale and purchase of beef by allowing such activity only in places permitted by competent authorities.
The legislation seeks to ensure that permission to sell and purchase beef is not granted in areas that are “predominantly inhabited by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and other non-beef eating communities or places that fall within a five-kilometre radius of a temple, satra, and any other institution as may be prescribed by the authorities.
(Edited by Ibankyntiew Mawrie)
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