Whereas the Cattle Preservation Act 2021 prohibits the ‘sale of beef’ within a five-kilometre radius of any temple (which means an area of about 78.5 square kilometres around a temple). Scenario in Tezpur seemed to be quite opposite where our journalists busted the ‘sale of beef’ activities red handed on their sudden visit.
The hotels which, to our eyes visibly sold ‘Beef meat’ were no way at a distance of 5 km from a temple or Hindu Religious Institutions. Further the Bill allows sale of beef and beef products only at certain locations as permitted by the competent authority, which was never obtained by those hotels.
Few hotels such as ‘Allah Rakha‘, ‘Garib Newaz‘ hotel located at the centre of Tezpur’s Dolabari area which sold beef, denied the activity, but was later compelled to admit the fact infront of our cameras.
The question now arises, would the Administration have any strict control over such illegalities on violation of the law, or would they be an isolated watch tower to let them continue the prohibited activities? Indeed, the reformation would be highly appreciable.
The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill received the assent of the Governor on 09th September 2021 which (under section 8) says that – ‘No person shall directly or indirectly sale or offer or expose for sale or buy beef or beef products in any form except at places permitted to do so by the competent authority:
Provided that no such permission shall be granted in such area or areas which are predominantly inhabited by Hindus, Jain’s, Sikhs and other non-beef eating communities or within a radius of 5 kms of any Temple, Satra or any religious institutions belonging to Hindu religion or any other institution or area as may be prescribed by the competent authority‘.
