In Meghalaya BJP wants beef, says ban rumours are 'false and malicious'

New Delhi, Jun 6: The BJP today termed as "false and malicious untruth" reports that it wants to impose a ban on beef in Meghalaya as another party leader in the state quit protesting the Centre's controversial notification on cattle.

The party said any such decision is for the state government to take.

Nalin Kohli, who is Meghalaya in-charge for the BJP, blamed the Congress for spreading this "malicious untruth" and accused it of communalizing the political agenda in the state going to polls next year.

The North Garo Hills district BJP president, Bachu Marak, had yesterday resigned from the party over the Centre's ban on the sale of cattle in markets for slaughter.

"I cannot compromise on the sentiments of the Garos. As a Garo, it is my responsibility to protect the interest of my community. Beef eating is part of our culture and tradition. Imposition of BJP's non-secular ideology on us is not acceptable," Bachu said after the resignation.

Kohli said the party "welcomed" his resignation as it was going to take disciplinary action against him as he and some others were working to sabotage its prospects.

Consumption of beef is common in much of the northeastern states and the saffron party, whose many leaders are vocal against beef-eating, has been accused by its rivals of working to impose a ban in the region as well.

"The dirty tricks department of the Congress is trying to communalise the agenda with a false and malicious untruth that the BJP wants to impose a beef ban in the state of Meghalaya.

"Nothing is farther from the truth since, under our constitutional scheme, the central government cannot encroach on the area of what a state government has to decide," Kohli said.

The BJP's single point agenda for Meghalaya is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' and it is gearing up to contest the assembly elections on this positive agenda of development, he said.

It will also expose "rampant corruption, unfulfilled promises and lack of development" under the Congress government of Mukul Sangma, he said.

He accused the Congress of running away from a debate on its performance.