Cong attacks Khattar on beef issue

New Delhi, Feb 10: Attacking Haryana government over beef issue, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda today alleged that Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has taken a "U-turn" on the issue and that the BJP is bereft of a "stable policy".

"Haryana CM has taken U-turn on it. Actually I read his statement where he said 'we will take special permission on beef for foreigners'. The Act has been passed in the Assembly. If you want to amend it to get special permission then you have to go to the Assembly. The whole Assembly was unanimous when it passed the Cow Protection Act," Hooda said.

Taking on BJP, the former Haryana Chief Minister said, "I am Arya Samaji. I am against eating of cow meat. When we said we will be opposing it, the Chief Minister has taken a U-turn because BJP has no stable policy."

Earlier, Khattar had been quoted as saying in a section of the media that he was open to relaxing the beef ban for foreigners in the state. But later on he ruled out any plan to issue licenses and give relaxation to foreigners to consume beef in the state, where a stringent cow protection law was passed nearly 11 months ago.

Haryana's Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Bill, passed by the Assembly in March last year, came into force in November after President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent.

Under the provisions of the law, cow trafficking, slaughtering and eating beef are banned in the state. BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said, "I have not seen exactly what he (Khattar) has said and in what context he has made his comment. In any case there are different laws in terms of banning beef.

These have been there from long time in different states." Kohli added, "Another side is the question of eating habits of individuals which is also an issue.

However, whatever has to be done it has to be done within the existing legal framework." Another BJP leader Om Prakash Dhankar said, "On the land of Haryana, beef is not permissible according to our law. Every land has its laws and beliefs."

PTI