Centre’s cattle trade rules have not affected anyone in Northeast: Kiren Rijiju

Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress and ‘pseudo-secular’ groups for creating unnecessary noise over cattle trade rules.

Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said on Saturday the Centre’s notification banning sale of cows for slaughter at animal markets has not affected anyone in the Northeast.

Kiren Rijiju said no one in the Northeast has been affected by Centre’s cattle trade rules. (HT File Photo)

He also accused the Congress and ‘pseudo-secular’ groups for creating unnecessary noise about a notification necessitated by a Supreme Court order.

“This is not an issue at all. No one in the Northeast is facing any problem. People are eating what they like. There have been no clash, no arrest,” Rijiju said in Guwahati.

The Congress, he said, has been fanning a non-issue because it has nothing better to do. He referred to Meghalaya, where two BJP district unit leaders quit the party over “beef ban”, as a case in point.

“The decision of a few individuals does not make any difference. The Congress is raking up an issue over individual resignations from the party (BJP),” Rijiju said.

The minister advised people elsewhere to visit every meat-eating corner of the Northeast and find out for themselves if anyone is facing difficulty because of the cattle ban.