Shillong, March 7: Raw beef is smuggled and supplied to Meghalaya from Assam due to the strict cattle law in the neighbouring state.
The issue was raised by AITC legislator George Lyngdoh (in picture) in the Assembly on Monday.
The cattle law in Assam has prevented the flow of cattle to the state thereby affecting the price coupled with smuggling, he said.
“Besides cattle, raw beef is also being smuggled in the state from Assam and we don’t know what sort of meat comes to the market here”, he said.
‘MDA follows BJP’s anti-beef agenda’
George pointed out that the MDA government is fulfilling the anti- beef agenda of the BJP to make Meghalaya beef free.
“I congratulate the MDA for hoodwinking the beef-eating population of Meghalaya for furthering the hidden political agenda of BJP to stop people from having beef..Hence beef is today going out of the plates of the poor as it has become unaffordable”, he said.
According to George, the Butchers’ Association had expressed concern that the veterinary department is yet to facilitate transport of cattle despite requests.
Another AITC member HM Shangpliang said as per a study and based on the opinion of the butchers, beef has become costly considering Assam cattle law as there is a shortage of cattle in the state.
PT Sawkmie ( Cong) admitted that the price of beef per kg ranges from Rs 400 to Rs 450 while the price of a small cow is Rs 20,000 the large one ranges from Rs 80,000 to Rs 90,000.
He also asked the government to check the trend of smuggling of raw beef in Shillong from Assam as the consumers do not know the quality of raw meat.
