“Ban Pork Sale Around Mosques”: Congress MP Abdul Khaleque

Guwahati: Assam Congress MP from Barpeta constituency Abdul Khaleque has suggested the state government to ban slaughtering and selling of pork within 500 meter radius of mosques.

He was reacting to the proposed Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, tabled on Monday by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. As per the bill, beef would not be allowed to be sold in areas that have a predominant population of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and other non-beef-eating communities or within a radius of five km of any temple, satra (Vaishnavite monastery), or other religious institutions belonging to Hindus, or any other institution or area as may be prescribed by the competent authority.

Khaleque said, “If the bill talks about respecting religious sentiments, then I would appreciate if it also bans slaughter of pigs and sale of pork 500 metres around mosques as pork is forbidden in Islam.”

The MP said that by banning sale and slaughtering of cattle in five kilometer radius of Hindu religious places, it would virtually ban beef in most of the areas of the state.

“If the five kilometer radius has to be accepted then there will be no beef shop in Guwahati and even in minority dominated areas since Hindu is a majority. So I would suggest reducing the area to maximum one kilometer radius or it will be a violation of rights of food and will also impact the livelihood of those who survive of cattle business,” he added.

The senior leader also feared that the new bill would indirectly encourage communal tension in the state.

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