Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that his government has decided to ban serving and consuming beef in restaurants, hotels and public places. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state’s cabinet.
“We have decided to ban serving and consumption of beef in restaurants, hotels and public places,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said at a press conference.
Sarma said the current law on beef consumption was strong but there had been no prohibition on the consumption of beef at restaurants, hotels and religious or social gatherings
“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. Earlier we decided to stop eating beef near 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,” Himanta Biswa Sarma explained. The chief minister said the meeting of the state cabinet, which he attended virtually from Delhi, also decided to broaden the road connecting Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi airport to the city from four-lane to six-lane.
He said a cabinet expansion will take place on December 7, when a few new ministers will take oath. Himanta Biswa Sarma said his government is also planning to build an expressway from Guwahati to Silchar through Meghalaya at a cost of ₹25,000 crore.
Meanwhile, Assam minister Pijush Hazarika said the Congress should either welcome the beef ban or go to Pakistan.
“I challenge the Assam Congress to welcome the beef ban or go and settle in Pakistan,” he wrote on X.
