Cattle trade rules: Don’t impose dietary curbs, BJP ally in Nagaland tells Centre
This is the first time the ruling party in Nagaland has taken an official stand on Centre’s notification banning cattle trade in animal markets for the purpose of slaughter.
The ruling Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) in Nagaland has asked the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre to refrain from imposing restrictions on the dietary habits of the people.
A resolution in this regard was adopted at the central executive council (CEC) meeting of NPF at Dimapur on Wednesday. The BJP is a minor partner of the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government in the state.
“The CEC resolves to urge the (state) government to take up with the central government to desist from imposing restrictions on the dietary habits of the people,” said a statement issued by the party.
This is the first time the ruling party in Nagaland has taken an official stand on Centre’s notification banning cattle trade in animal markets for the purpose of slaughter.
Despite assurances by senior BJP leaders that there would be no curbs on food habits, opposition to the notification continues in Christian-dominated Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram, where consumption of beef is common.
Assembly elections are due in all three states, where consumption of beef is common, next year.
“The culinary preferences of the Naga people, along with their traditional, religious and customary practices (should not be) infringed upon by any unilateral decision of the central government,” the resolution added.
NPF is part of the BJP-led anti-Congress front, North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), and also the partner of the saffron party-led government in Manipur.
Earlier this month, Meghalaya’s North Garo Hills district president of the party, Bachu C Marak, resigned accusing the BJP of “dishonouring my culture and traditional practices”. He followed Bernard N Marak, West Garo Hills district president, who quit after the BJP’s senior leadership shut down his plans of a beef party.
The sacked leaders claim they were planning to organise the beef and rice beer feast in order to allay fears among local residents that the BJP might be trying to control their food habits with the restrictions on cattle trade.
But the party’s central leadership says the beef fest was just an excuse by some disgruntled leaders to quit the party ahead of the assembly elections and seek tickets from other parties.
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