BJP's save cow campaign reaches West Bengal

KOLKATA: Taking a cue from its peers in north India, Hindutva groups have demanded a ban on beef in West Bengal. They have begun campaigning and holding meetings to build a ‘spontaneous resistance’ to cow slaughter and support for ban on consumption of beef.

BJP’s Gau Bansh Vikash Prakastha (cow development and protection cell) has filed around 150 FIRs in Kolkata police stations alone against slaughter of cows. The committee has identified 23 restaurants in and around city that serve beef ‘violating’ rules. Cases against these restaurants have been registered with the Union environment ministry too, as according to the cell, consumption of beef “pollutes the environment”.

Even before a man was lynched over unproved allegations for consuming beef in UP’s Dadri, BJP’s cow protection cell had been holding vigils in bordering districts and in the city. They have been capturing cows and resisting its slaughter.

"We have identified 23 restaurants in Kolkata, that serve beef. It is unfortunate that around 70 per cent customers they get are Hindus. We are sending reports to the Union environment ministry as slaughtering beef pollutes environment. Under the rule of Mamata Banerjee, we would need central help to enforce ban on cow slaughter,” said Subrata Gupta, convener of Bengal unit of cow protection cell of BJP.