Malappuram: While the central government pushes for nationwide ban and cow vigilantes lynch people for consuming beef, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the by-election to Kerala’s Malappuram promised quality ‘halal beef’ for the people if they elect him.
“I will ensure quality beef and standard abattoirs in my constituency. In Kerala, there is no ban on beef so that question (of ban) doesn’t arise here. My opponents are citing beef ban just to portray my party in bad light,” N Sreeprakash said.
He will represent BJP in Malappuram by-election, a Muslim-dominated constituency.
The central government announced a nationwide ban on cow slaughter in May 2017. In fact, a day before Sreeparakash made his remarks, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh proposed the death sentence for cow killers.
Beef consumption, however, is still legal in Kerala, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. Earlier, BJP had been called out several times when it did not impose a beef ban in states like Goa and Arunachal Pradesh during respective elections.
Malappuram is recording a stiff contest between Muslim League’s PK Kunahlikutty, CPM’s MB Faisal and Sreeprakash of the BJP.
Source: Siasat
