All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of hypocrisy and double standards, reported Times Now. “BJP’s hypocrisy is that in Uttar Pradesh cow is mummy but in the North East it’s yummy,” said Owaisi in reference to the recent cow protection agenda pushed by the party in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.
Owaisi said the BJP will be caught in a dilemma in Manipur where a majority of the population is Christian, reported The Times of India. The party has formed the government in Manipur in alliance with regional outfits. Beef is a regular part of people’s diets in these states.
Owaisi’s comment follows what the BJP had recently said. The party has made it clear that its call for a ban on beef will not be applicable to the North East states. Leaders in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland said the recent crackdown on meat shops and slaughterhouses in Uttar Pradesh would not affect their states. All three states will go to the polls in 2018.
Meat shops and illegal slaughterhouses in Uttar Pradesh have been raided and shut down after Adtiyanath became the chief minister of the state on March 19. The BJP won 325 seats in the 403-member UP Assembly in the recently concluded elections.
The Gujarat Assembly, on the other hand, passed a Bill on Friday that introduced life term for cow slaughter. “Protection of cows is the single-most important principle towards saving the whole world from both moral and spiritual degradation,” Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had said on Friday. “The Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party government understands the importance and values of the cow and that is the reason for the Bill. Congrats to all members.”
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!