the goan I network
MARGAO
“The entire campaign against beef is basically aimed at the Muslim and Catholic communities. The Catholic community is a major consumer of beef and a section of the Muslims butcher cattle for sale,” he said.
Reginaldo pointed out that cow slaughter laws are in force in the country, including the state of Goa for a long time.
Saying that cow slaughter is not an issue of religion or faith for any community, Reginaldo said “what one eats is a matter of his choice. As long as the rules for slaughter of animals are adhered to, there should not be any issue.”
“The problem is the cow vigilantes or gau rakshas having taken over the responsibility of law enforcement in the entire country.
This has made beef extremely beyond the reach of the common man due to the fact that beef is transported from outside the state to Goa,” he added.
When the media drew his attention that TCP Minister, Vijai Sardesai has condemned the VHP statement on beef, Reginaldo
said he is happy that Sardesai has condemned the statement, saying “at least the TCP Minister knows what is good for the state”, even as he reiterated that the government come out clear on the contentious issue.
Such statements will vitiate atmosphere in state: Churchill
MARGAO: Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao has said the government should ban organisations such as VHP for issuing threats to enforce a ban on consumption of beef in the state through its affiliates.
Condemning the statement made by VHP leaders that its affiliates will ban beef consumption in Goa, Churchill, who is an alliance partner of the BJP-led Parrikar
government, said such organisations should not be allowed to create disharmony in a tourist state like Goa.
“Goa is a tourist state and such statements will vitiate the atmosphere in the state and kill the tourism industry,” Churchill said.
He said people from the minority community are hesitant to join the BJP because of organisations such as the RSS, VHP and the Bajrang Dal.
The Benaulim MLA further said the BJP-led government at the centre headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi should bring in a legislation in Parliament to bail out the liquor outlets hit by the Supreme Court ban.
“The Supreme court ban has hit the bar owners very badly. Since Goa is a tourist state, the Central government should come out with a law to de-notify the national and state highways and give relief t to the liquor industry,” Churchill said.
The lone NCP MLA in the Goa Legislative Assembly has said that he has supported the BJP-led government in the state after the Congress party failed to form the government even after emerging as the single largest party.
“My stand of supporting the BJP-led government now stands vindicated by the NCP national leadership. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has recently stated in Kerala that the NCP in Goa had to support the BJP-led dispensation in Goa since the Congress failed to form the government and to avoid re-election,” Churchill said.
When his attention was drawn to the criticism that his decision to support the BJP had evoked in the Goa NCP leadership, Churchill said that the local NCP leadership should know that he has saved the honour and pride of the party by winning the lone seat in the Goa elections, wherein the remaining 16 candidates had lost the polls badly, even forfeiting their deposits.
