Ban export of beef if you think for cows: Cong MLA to Centre

Panaji: A Congress leader from Karnataka on Tuesday appealed to the Narendra Modi government to ban the export of beef, saying such move would ensure that cow is not slaughtered.

These remarks of MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao, who is the Goa desk in-charge of the Congress, came against the backdrop of shortage of beef in the coastal state due to supply crunch from neighbouring Karnataka.

“Let Prime Minister Narendra Modi ban the export of beef. If that happens, cows will not be slaughtered,” he told reporters here.

Rao is on a two-day visit to Goa to take stock of the Congress affairs, days after the party fared badly in Zilla Panchayat elections.

“Farmers in Karnataka are suffering. On the one hand, the state government doesn’t offer any help to farmers to look after their bulls, cows, buffaloes, while on the other hand, the government says farmers can’t sell their cattle. In such situation, who is going to take care of the cattle?” he asked.

Rao said the BJP government in Karnataka should come out with a policy assuring care of every buffalo, bull, and cow in the state.

“…Give a pension so that the cattle are taken care of. At present, the number of cattle is reducing wherever these (anti-cow slaughter) laws have become strict because nobody can look after them,” Rao said.

Without taking the BJP’s name, Rao said, “they talk differently (on beef) in the North Eastern states, Goa and Kerala, whereas they speak in different voices when it comes to states like Karnataka, Maharashtra etc,” Rao said.

“What I am saying is if they (Central government) are so particular about it (against slaughter of cows), let them ban the export of beef from India. We are the second highest exporters of beef,” he added.