Ban beef export, don't be hypocritical: AICC Goa in-charge to BJP

Speaking to reporters here, Rao, who is in Goa on a two-day visit to dissect the party's poor performance in the recently conducted zilla panchayat polls, also said that banning cattle slaughter in some states and allowing it in others was wrong. 

"Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi should have one policy. Let them ban export of beef. Uttar Pradesh, where Yogi Adityanath is the Chief Minister, is the biggest exporter of beef in the country. How is that happening? It is all hypocrisy, and it is very unfortunate. It is for the people to decide... Today, violence takes place in the name of beef," Rao said. 

The Karnataka politician also said that on the one hand, the Karnataka government led by the BJP has introduced the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill (2020) banning cattle slaughter, but at the same the time Goa government, which is also led the by the same party, is facilitating availability of beef to the state's population. 

"They say no beef, but why can't they do that in Goa? Why can't they pass the same law in Goa then? This is hypocrisy," Rao said. 

"Why ban in Karnataka, why ban in Uttar Pradesh, why ban in Madhya Pradesh and allow it in other states? Why should the Goa CM say 'I want to get more beef', isn't he a BJP Chief Minister," Rao asked. 

Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured that his government would assist registered beef traders to bring in live cattle from other states for the purpose of slaughter in Goa in the wake of the new law in Karnataka. 

"Even if beef is not available, we can still bring in live animals with permission," Sawant said, assuring full support to registered beef traders. 

In the wake of the new law in Karnataka, availability of beef has been a subject of concern in Goa, especially ahead of Christmas and the festive season ahead. More than a third of the state's population comprises of religious minorities, namely Catholics and Muslims who consume beef. Beef is also a popular item on the menus of the restaurants in the state, especially in the coastal tourism-savvy belt.