Beef Row | "District Officials Told To Enforce Law That Bars Sale Of Cattle Meat Within 5Km Of Temples": CM Himanta Biswa

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Today (June 20) directed officials to strictly enforce the Cattle Act after reports of cow meat/beef near temples. He warns of foreign social media interference aimed at spreading hate.

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Dispur: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that all district-level officers have now been strictly told to follow the rules of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act 2021.

This law clearly says that no one can kill cows or sell their meat within a five-kilometre area around any Hindu religious place.

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The Chief Minister gave this strong instruction after reports came in about incidents during Eid-al-Adha where some people tried to create trouble by throwing beef near temples in different parts of Assam.

“It appears that one of the provisions of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, which bans killing, slaughter, sale, purchase and consumption of cattle meat within a five-km radius of religious places, wasn’t followed stringently ahead of Eid-al-Adha this year,”

-the chief minister told reporters.

He further added that some groups are trying to make people fight by spreading hatred among different religious communities.

“That’s why we witnessed several instances of people trying to create communal tension by placing cow meat at temples and other religious places at Dhubri, Lakhipur, Lakhimpur and Hojai. Now we have directed all district authorities to ensure strict compliance with that provision so that such incidents don’t take place,”

-he said.

According to him, some political rivals are behind this situation and they are doing such acts purposely to increase religious hatred in the state.

Beef Row | "District Officials Told To Enforce Law That Bars Sale Of Cattle Meat Within 5Km Of Temples": CM Himanta Biswa

These acts included throwing beef near temples and spreading hate-filled content on social media platforms.

“We have conducted forensic analysis of 2,093 Facebook accounts and found that nearly 700 are operated from Bangladesh, around 350 accounts have origins in Pakistan and around 500 in countries in the Middle East,”

-the CM said.

He shared that the government’s investigation showed many of these social media accounts are from outside India and are trying to create problems in Assam.

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These accounts are promoting one particular political party and its leader and spreading extreme views online.

“Besides, there are many accounts from over 40 other countries. Most of these posts have content with hardcore Islamic fundamentalist ideals and express support for one particular political party and its leader from Assam,”

-he added.

The Chief Minister also highlighted that this is the first time such large-scale foreign interference has been noticed in Assam’s political matters. The state government has already reported these findings to the Central Government for further action to protect national security.

“This is the first time we are witnessing such foreign involvement in Assam politics. We have informed the Centre about these accounts and their activities so that some countermeasures can be taken from a national security perspective,”

-he said.

The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021

The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, aims to regulate the slaughter, transportation, and sale of cattle within the state, with the primary goal of cattle preservation.

It prohibits the slaughter of cows and restricts the slaughter of other cattle, such as bulls and bullocks, unless a “fit for slaughter” certificate is obtained from a veterinary officer.

The Act also regulates the transportation of cattle within and outside Assam and restricts the sale of beef in certain areas.

Key Provisions of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021:

Prohibition on Cow Slaughter: The Act prohibits the slaughter of cows, regardless of their age.
Restrictions on Slaughter of Other Cattle: Slaughter of other cattle (bulls, bullocks, and buffaloes) is permitted only if a veterinary officer issues a “fit for slaughter” certificate, and only for cattle over 14 years of age or those permanently incapacitated due to injury or deformity.
Restrictions on Transportation: The Act restricts the transportation of cattle within and outside Assam, requiring permits for bona fide agricultural or animal husbandry purposes.

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Restrictions on Beef Sale: The Act prohibits the sale of beef and beef products in areas predominantly inhabited by Hindu, Jain, Sikh, and other non-beef-eating communities, and within a 5 km radius of any temple or sattra (Vaishnavite monastery).
Penalties: Violations of the Act can result in imprisonment (minimum 3 years, maximum 8 years) and fines (minimum Rs 3 lakh, maximum Rs 5 lakh), with repeat offenders facing doubled penalties.
Cognizable and Non-Bailable Offences: All offenses under the Act are cognizable and non-bailable.

Amendments in the Winter Session:

The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, was further strengthened through amendments during the winter session of the Assam Assembly.

These amendments were aimed at addressing the issue of cattle smuggling to Bangladesh, among other things.

The Act is part of a broader effort by the state government to regulate cattle-related activities, aligning with the Directive Principles of State Policy under the Indian Constitution, which calls for the preservation of cattle and improvement of breeds.