Hopeful people will give up eating beef in North East: RSS leader

GUWAHATI: With Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat advocating a nationwide ban on cow slaughter, BJP leaders in the northeast are hopeful of a gradual shift in the eating habits.

RSS leader Shankar Das told ET: “We are hopeful that things will change gradually and people will give up beef eating.” He added: “After we worked with different tribal communities in Arunachal Pradesh, several people stopped eating beef.”

Meghalaya BJP general secretary David Kharsati said: “Political groups with vested interest are spreading rumours. People of Meghalaya should not feel insecure about BJP.”

Soon after Uttar Pradesh launched a crackdown on illegal slaughter houses, Meghalaya unit of BJP reached out to people with a promise of freedom of choice. Four northeastern states — Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya —will go to polls next year.

BJP is relying on the regional parties to form government in these states. BJP’s ally in Nagaland and Manipur, Naga Peoples Front, has stated that the party doesn’t believe in the culture of ban.

A senior party leader who didn’t wish to be identified quoted said: “Nagaland is a special category state. Any ban will have be ratified by the state legislature. However, as a matter of principle, we do not believe in imposing any kind of ban; we believe in freedom of choice.”