PANAJI: With the beef traders showing no signs of relenting until they are guaranteed that there will be no targeted harassment from so-called NGOs and other activists, the focus has now turned on the Government and its role in ‘resolving' the issue.
While there was no official comment from the Chief Minister's office on the issue, sources have revealed that the chief minister has sent out instructions to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure that while on one hand, the beef traders have to remain within the framework of the law, the NGOs should not be allowed to take the law into their own hands.
"No one can be allowed to carry out an illegal business. With permission, everything should be allowed to continue. That said, no one should be arbitrarily allowed to stop the meat transport," a source in the government said.
Meanwhile beef has continued to remain in short supply in municipal markets across Goa with the strike by the traders entering the second day. The beef was however available with several cold storage stores across the state.
With there being no meetings arranged between the protesting traders and the government officials, and with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar set to travel to Delhi tomorrow and return only on Tuesday, a solution to the issue may be some time away.
The beef traders had sought the intervention of Minister of Animal Husbandry Mauvin Godinho to ensure that there is no harassment from the ‘activists.
The All Goa Beef Traders Association had called for a strike refusing to transport beef to Goa from neighbouring Karnataka. complaining of harassment of harassment by communal elements masked as animal rights activists after yet another consignment of beef bound for markets in Goa was seized by the police based on what the traders say are flimsy grounds.
The traders had already stopped bringing live animals to the Goa Meat Complex on account of several reasons relating to permissions as well as the fact that it does not make economic sense to transport a live animal to the Goa Meat Complex slaughter it and then sell the meat. They would prefer to transport the fresh meat but raises questions about the quality meat being supplied.
The issue, as raised by the traders is the inability of the authorities to stand up to the ‘activists' who are not the competent persons to decide whether beef transport is illegal or if the beef is of the required quality or not.
Speaking to The Goan, Manna Bepari the president of the Association accused the activists and the police of selectively targeting beefeaters and traders.
"If the allegations of the activists are true, the proper procedure for the authorities is to take a sample of the meat and send it to the FDA for analysis. In this case, they stop the truck and directly pour phenol over the beef. This is complete harassment," Bepari told The Goan.
"Besides this, the proper person to be judging the beef is a veterinary officer and not some activists who have no right to be taking the law into their own hands," Bepari said.
While there was no official comment from the Chief Minister's office on the issue, sources have revealed that the chief minister has sent out instructions to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure that while on one hand, the beef traders have to remain within the framework of the law, the NGOs should not be allowed to take the law into their own hands.
"No one can be allowed to carry out an illegal business. With permission, everything should be allowed to continue. That said, no one should be arbitrarily allowed to stop the meat transport," a source in the government said.
Meanwhile beef has continued to remain in short supply in municipal markets across Goa with the strike by the traders entering the second day. The beef was however available with several cold storage stores across the state.
With there being no meetings arranged between the protesting traders and the government officials, and with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar set to travel to Delhi tomorrow and return only on Tuesday, a solution to the issue may be some time away.
The beef traders had sought the intervention of Minister of Animal Husbandry Mauvin Godinho to ensure that there is no harassment from the ‘activists.
The All Goa Beef Traders Association had called for a strike refusing to transport beef to Goa from neighbouring Karnataka. complaining of harassment of harassment by communal elements masked as animal rights activists after yet another consignment of beef bound for markets in Goa was seized by the police based on what the traders say are flimsy grounds.
The traders had already stopped bringing live animals to the Goa Meat Complex on account of several reasons relating to permissions as well as the fact that it does not make economic sense to transport a live animal to the Goa Meat Complex slaughter it and then sell the meat. They would prefer to transport the fresh meat but raises questions about the quality meat being supplied.
The issue, as raised by the traders is the inability of the authorities to stand up to the ‘activists' who are not the competent persons to decide whether beef transport is illegal or if the beef is of the required quality or not.
Speaking to The Goan, Manna Bepari the president of the Association accused the activists and the police of selectively targeting beefeaters and traders.
"If the allegations of the activists are true, the proper procedure for the authorities is to take a sample of the meat and send it to the FDA for analysis. In this case, they stop the truck and directly pour phenol over the beef. This is complete harassment," Bepari told The Goan.
"Besides this, the proper person to be judging the beef is a veterinary officer and not some activists who have no right to be taking the law into their own hands," Bepari said.
