Beef traders in Goa called off their strike after four days on Tuesday as the government assured them that the meat would be imported from Karnataka under police protection, IANS reported.
“In light of assurance given to us by senior police officials, that our beef consignments would be given police protection, we are withdrawing the strike,” President of Qureshi Meat Traders Association of Goa Manna Bepari said. “Beef will be available in Goa from Wednesday.”
On January 6, beef traders in Goa began their indefinite strike to demand that the government take action against vigilante groups who harass them. Bepari had then said that no beef would be sold in Goa until the government “helps us and stops these vigilant groups from taking law in their hands”.
Data from Goa Meat Complex shows the state consumes nearly 30 tonnes of fresh beef every day.
Earlier on Tuesday, former Congress MP Francis Sardinha had alleged that many of the cow vigilantes that block the entry of trucks carrying beef into Goa had the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party, PTI reported. “This is because the government wants to satisfy its bosses in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,” he said.
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