Karnataka government supports beef-eating, contradicts Digvijay Singh

BENGALURU: The Congress government in Karnataka has decided to wind up Goseva Ayoga (commission in the service of cow) and reiterated its support to beef-eating. This came just a day after party general secretary Digvijaya Singh, ironically Karnataka in-charge, said that a nationwide ban on beef-eating could be considered.

The Siddaramaiah government has already withdrawn bill, passed by both Houses of the state legislature during the BJP rule in 2010 and 2011, that banned all cow, cattle and buffalo slaughter. This bill was pending before the then President Prathibha Patil, and was formally withdrawn by the Karnataka government in the state legislature in December 2014.

Congress MLC VS Ugrappa, a close aide of Siddaramaiah, told ET: "This is a clear indication that the Congress has gone back to its stand that beef is a food and that removal of aged cows, buffaloes and bullocks are essential to rural economy. We are making our stand clear in the background of the incident that has happened in UP."