Assam imposes complete ban on beef consumption in hotels, public places: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced a complete ban on the serving and consumption of beef in hotels, restaurants and public places across the state. Addressing a press conference, Sarma said that the decision was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet to amend the existing law on beef consumption to incorporate the new provisions.

"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 Chief Minister said.

Sarma, while speaking to reporters, said that earlier there was a provision of not serving or consuming beef



within 5 km radius of temples. "But now we have expanded it to the entire state that you will not be able to eat it in any community place, public place, hotel or restaurant," the BJP leader said.

The announcement comes days after Sarma slammed the Congress for alleging that the BJP distributed beef to win elections in the Muslim-dominated area of Samaguri. The Chief Minister even said he was ready to ban beef in Assam if state Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah writes to him, seeking it.

"Amidst the sadness of losing Samaguri, Rakibul Hussain said one good thing that eating beef is wrong, isn't it? He said that it was wrong for Congress-BJP to win elections by offering beef to voters," Sarma had said when asked about the Congress leader's reported comment.