After Dadri, storing mutton at home risky says Goa minister

Panaji, Oct 9: The Congress party here on Friday said following a 52-year-old man's lynching in Uttar Pradesh over allegedly eating beef, it had turned risky for members of the minority community of Goa to store mutton at home.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Urfan Mulla said at a press conference that persistent pressure from the right wing Hindu groups on beef transportation had shot up the prices of beef in the state where 27 percent of the people are from minority communities.

"Minority communities in Goa are now scared to keep mutton at home after what happened in Dadri," Mulla said while condemning last month's Dadri attack in Uttar Pradesh where a Muslim man was killed and his son left severely injured by a mob which suspected them of having cow's meat.

Christians and Muslims account for nearly 27 percent of Goa's population and are the major beef consumers, along with a significant section of the three million tourists who visit the state annually.

Mulla also said specific targeting of beef consignments being imported into the state by the Hindu right wing organisations, had resulted in a beef shortage in the state as well as hiked prices of the red meat.

"Beef imports into the state are being targetted by the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) in Karnataka and other groups. Prices of beef in Goa have also escalated," Mulla alleged.

Beef is being sold at Rs.250 per kg in Goa, which has a daily demand of around 50 tonnes of beef.

IANS