Kolkata: Even as the controversy over the death of a man lynched for consumption of beef in Uttar Pradesh’s Dadri, rages all over the country, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Gau Bansh Vikash Prakastha (cow development and protection cell) has demanded a ban on beef in West Bengal.
The right-wing group has begun campaigning and holding meetings to build a public awareness against cow slaughter and support for ban on consumption of beef. They have also filed around 150 police complaints in various police stations across the city against slaughter of cows. The committee has identified 23 restaurants in and around Kolkata that serve beef. Cases against these restaurants have been registered with the Union environment ministry too, as according to the cell, consumption of beef “pollutes the environment”.
“There are 23 restaurants in Kolkata that serve beef going against the rules. However, it is unfortunate that most of the consumers are Hindu. Under Mamata Banerjee, we do not hope to get any support as she plays vote bank politics hence we would need the support of Union environment ministry to enforce the ban on cow slaughter.
However, this has put the state government on high alert as many within the administration believe groups such as this want to create communal tension in the state ahead of the 2016 assembly elections.
“The state has nearly 30 per cent of minorities — the highest in the country — and BJP is doing all this to play the communal card to polarise votes,” said a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader.
Another group has demanded a ban on “slaughtering and transportation of cows and selling, mobilisation of beef throughout the state” during Durga Puja from October 19 to 22, “so that religious sentiments of Hindus do not get hurt”.
“Durga Puja is no more a religious festival but a cultural one where even Muslims participate in the organisation of the same in many areas. Giving a religious bias to the festival will only help those who want to benefit from religious violence,” said TMC MP Saugata Roy.
