Breaking the ruling party’s silence on the beef ban, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said the decision of the division bench of the high court will not change the government’s policy on the sale of beef in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to local news agency KNS, Mehbooba said, “The ban on beef has not only been imposed in Jammu and Kashmir but is in force in three other states of the country as well. However, wherever the ban was imposed, authorities were forced to revoke it and allow the practice of slaughtering of bovine animals and sale of beef as usual.”
Stating that the ban on beef and slaughtering of bovine animals is in force since 1947 as the act is prohibited under Section 298 A&B of the Jammu and Kashmir constitution, Mehbooba said even the largest political parties that had two-thirds majority in the assembly never bothered to scrap the law banning sale of beef in the state.
Meanwhile, a BJP leader from south Kashmir said he would organise a beef party to send across a message of religious tolerance.
“I have decided to organise a party for both Hindus and Muslims. The Muslims will be served beef and the Hindus, an exclusively vegetarian meal. They will share a table and it will send a message of brotherhood and religious tolerance,” Khurshid Ahmad Malik, said.
(With inputs from agencies)
