Opposition leaders, including Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, have slammed Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s beef ban as unconstitutional and divisive. The move has been criticized for interfering in personal freedoms and being selectively applied in BJP-ruled states.
BY PC Bureau
Joining the opposition chorus against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s announcement of a beef ban in public spaces, Kerala BJP Vice President Major Ravi cautioned against sending a “wrong message” to the people. Ravi emphasized the need to clarify that beef refers to buffalo and bull meat, not cows, and urged Sarma to address misconceptions to avoid communal tensions.
“First of all, you need to understand what beef is and what cow meat is. If you suddenly ban beef, it sends the wrong message to so many people… Beef is not cow meat. If somebody wants to eat, they should have the freedom to do so. We worship cows, but beef comes from buffaloes and bulls,” said Ravi. He suggested Sarma should have clarified these distinctions before enforcing the ban.
The Assam Chief Minister’s Wednesday announcement, which prohibits the consumption of beef in restaurants, hotels, and public spaces, has drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition. Congress accused Sarma of using the beef ban to distract from the BJP’s defeat in the Jharkhand Assembly polls, where Sarma was election co-incharge.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi linked the decision to what he called Sarma’s “shameful loss” in Jharkhand. “In Jharkhand, BJP suffered a shameful defeat under Himanta Biswa Sarma’s leadership. To hide this defeat, he has come up with this conspiracy. Just as Jharkhand rejected the politics of hate, I believe the people of Assam will punish his corrupt government in the coming elections,” Gogoi said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut cited RSS leaders’ views on food freedom to challenge the move. “RSS leaders have said there should be no prohibition on food in this country. If they’ve banned beef in Assam, why not in BJP-ruled states like Goa, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, or Manipur? Why single out Assam?” asked Raut.
Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan condemned the beef ban as a violation of constitutional freedoms. “This decision interferes in people’s personal lives and goes against the right to freedom. India’s beauty lies in its diversity of cultures and religions. Such moves are unconstitutional and push the nation toward dictatorship,” she asserted.
The BJP, meanwhile, defended the ban as consistent with its commitment to cow protection, calling it a cultural and ethical necessity. However, critics across political lines have questioned the selective implementation and its implications for personal liberty.
