Latest news with #AssamCattlePreservationAct
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Himanta says will tighten cattle slaughter law after series of arrests bring issue to centre stage in Assam
Politics over cattle and beef have taken a centre-stage in Assam after a string of incidents in which suspected cattle remains have been recovered near places of worship, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma saying Friday that the government would tighten the enforcement of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, while Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi has alleged BJP involvement in these incidents ahead of next year's elections. In the past two weeks, at least 72 people have been arrested in Dhubri, Goalpara and Lakhimpur after three separate incidents of suspected cattle remains being recovered from near temples in the first two places, and near a namghar (community prayer hall) in Lakhimpur. Sarma Friday referred to these as an attempt to create unrest 'since Eid ul Zuha.' Speaking at a press conference, he said that all these incidents have taken place in 'sensitive areas.' 'When we look at all these incidents and wherever they have taken place, they are near localities where there have been arrangements of eating beef during Eid ul Zuha. Our cattle preservation bill says that if Hindu people stay in an area, or if there are temples or namghars, this kind of meat cannot be consumed within 5 kilometres radius near these. That is a legal provision,' he said. The Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, that he was referring to has a section which prohibits the sale of beef and beef products in areas 'which are predominantly inhabited by Hindu, Jain, Sikh and other non-beef eating communities or within a radius of 5 km of any temple, satra, or other religious institutions belonging to Hindu religion or any other institution or area as may be prescribed by the competent authority.' Sarma said that the state government would prepare an SOP to stop qurbani (sacrifice) of cattle within a 5-km radius of such premises saying the enforcement of this 'can be a permanent solution.' 'Dhubri has one of the leading gurudwaras in the country. And there are many temples near that… But this time around Eid, the district administration had not enforced this provision the way it should have been done… So, we have directed district administrations that this significant section in our cattle preservation bill has to be enforced very strictly… This can be a permanent solution. If the 5 km provision is implemented, no one can eat and no one can slaughter within Dhubri town,' he said. Last week, he had also alleged that beef is being 'weaponised' against Hindus in the state to force them away from places. Hitting out against these developments, MP and Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi has accused Sarma of 'Jinnah-like politics' and alleged a BJP role in these incidents. 'There should be investigation into all these people who have been held so far on who gave them this idea, who gave them the advice. Those who have done it have done an offence, but who gave them the idea?… Elections are close, failures have to be hidden, and this is their whole strategy,' said Gogoi on Friday. 'There are some criminal minded people within them. Within the BJP, RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, there are some criminal minded people who seek to do these kinds of things before elections. Our aim is not to let a communal environment be created inside Assam… We will not let him do his 'Jinnah-like' politics,' he added.
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Himanta Sarma flags beef consumption near temples on Eid, warns of strict action
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday expressed concerns over recent incidents involving alleged cow slaughter and beef consumption near religious sites during Eid-ul-Zuha celebrations. He called for strict adherence to the state's cattle preservation law, promising action against a press conference in Guwahati, Sarma said such incidents, reported during Eid, were being seen as deliberate provocations and a threat to communal per the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, the consumption or slaughter of cows is strictly prohibited within a five-kilometre radius of any temple or Namghar (prayer house). We have instructed the district administrations to enforce these provisions stringently," he said. The Chief Minister also referred to recent reports of cattle remains being found near places of worship, warning that such acts could inflame tensions."This is not just a law and order issue, but one that concerns social peace. We are committed to taking action against anyone trying to create discord through such provocations," Sarma stressed that the state's priority was to ensure that all communities can observe their festivals peacefully without hurting the sentiments of Watch IN THIS STORY#Assam
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Assam Cattle Preservation Act to be strictly implemented: Himanta
Guwahati, The Assam Cattle Preservation Act will be strictly enforced in all districts of the state to prevent availability and consumption of beef within a five km radius of religious places of worship, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday. ''The availability and consumption of beef during the recent Eid festival despite the ban within a 5 km radius of temples and other places of worship is a very serious matter. In this regard, we will take strict action under the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021'', Sarma said at a press conference here. After the Eid Uz Zuha festival this year, it has been seen that in some areas of sensitive districts like Dhubri, Goalpara and Hojai, several attempts have been made to create disturbances by throwing body parts, particularly skulls near temples and prayer halls, he said. Sarma said that it has been observed that these have occurred near localities where beef consumption during Eid is common and all are within the restricted area of 5 km radius of places of religious worship. ''This has been in clear violation of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act which clearly states that beef consumption or its sale and distribution is banned within a radius of 5 km of religious places of worship. The concerned district administrations did not enforce this provision strictly leading to this situation'', he said. If people had been made aware of the 5 km restrictions, these incidents could have been avoided, he added. ''I have directed all district commissioners to strictly implement the Act and ensure that slaughter, sale or consumption of beef is banned within the restricted area'', he said. In places like Lakhimpur and Lakhipur in Goalpara district, it has been seen that these incidents have occurred in areas classified as tribal belts and blocks of Village Grazing Reserve and Professional Grazing Reserve where in many cases, people have occupied the land illegally, Sarma said. ''Even the leader of the opposition had said in the assembly that immigrants who came after a certain year cannot legally occupy or claim the land as their own. I have directed district commissioners and additional district commissioners to conduct a survey in these areas to identify those people whose families have not lived in Assam for at least three generations and prepare a list of all those people living in tribal belt, block or in VGR/PGR, particularly in the sensitive areas which will help us to take necessary legal action'', he said. On Wednesday, seven persons were arrested following the alleged recovery of three cow skulls, approximately 30 metres from a 'Namghar' , in Lakhimpur district. Recently, shoot-at-sight orders at night were issued in Dhubri where a day after the Bakrid, a cow's head was found in front of the Hanuman Temple and again the next day, another skull was found again there along with incidents of stone pelting reported. On June 8, Sarma had said that a number of cattle were allegedly slaughtered illegally at several places during the Bakrid festival and parts of the meat were thrown at multiple locations across Assam. Police have so far arrested over 60 people with over 50 in Dhubri alone in connection with illegal slaughter of cows with the intention of creating communal disturbances in the state.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Assam district officials told to enforce law that bars sale of cattle meat 5km of temples: CM
GUWAHATI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the district officials have been ordered to strictly comply with provisions of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act 2021 that prohibits the slaughter of cattle and sale of their meat within a five-kilometre radius of any Hindu religious place. 'It appears that one of the provisions of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, which bans killing, slaughter, sale, purchase and consumption of cattle meat within a five-km radius of religious places, wasn't followed stringently ahead of Eid-al-Adha this year,' the chief minister told reporters. 'That's why we witnessed several instances of people trying to create communal tension by placing cow meat at temples and other religious places at Dhubri, Lakhipur, Lakhimpur and Hojai. Now we have directed all district authorities to ensure strict compliance with that provision so that such incidents don't take place,' he said, claiming that there was an effort by rival groups to spread communal tension in the state by throwing cattle meat at religious places and promoting hate on social media. Sarma alleged there was a concerted effort by some elements, both within the state and outside, to create communal tensions in Assam, especially through social media platforms. He said about 5,000-6,000 social media accounts had recently been activated that support a particular political party and spread hate. 'We have conducted forensic analysis of 2,093 Facebook accounts and found that nearly 700 are operated from Bangladesh, around 350 accounts have origins in Pakistan and around 500 in countries in the Middle East,' the CM said. 'Besides, there are many accounts from over 40 other countries. Most of these posts have content with hardcore Islamic fundamentalist ideals and express support for one particular political party and its leader from Assam,' he added. 'This is the first time we are witnessing such foreign involvement in Assam politics. We have informed the Centre about these accounts and their activities so that some countermeasures can be taken from a national security perspective,' he said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
7 held after animal parts found near place of worship in Lakhimpur dist
Guwahati: Recovery of animal body parts in Assam's Lakhimpur district on Tuesday led to the arrest of seven people, police said. This is the third such incident reported in the state in recent weeks, following similar discoveries in Dhubri and Goalpara districts. The animal body parts, wrapped in a plastic bag, were found approximately 30 metres from a place of worship in Siring Chuk village, triggering concern among locals. Police rushed to the spot after being alerted and launched an investigation. The arrested people have been identified as Monsur Ali (60) and Rejjak Ali (29) from Debera Rangchali; Sahar Ali (48), Dilwar Hussain (25), and Dildar Hussain (30) from Deobeel Christian Gaon; and Abu Kalam Ali (33) and Jahidul Islam (22) from Chukulibhoria. Lakhimpur SP Gunendra Deka said, "Acting on intelligence inputs, we launched searches in several locations — Rongsali, Debera Doloni, and Deobeel Christian Gaon. At the residence of Mansur Ali, we discovered further evidence of animal slaughter and recovered some more animal body parts." "A case has been registered at Panigaon Police Station under Sections 61(2)(A), 298, 299, 196(2), 329(3), 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Section 13(1) of the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021," the SP said .
