MARGAO
As beef traders downed shutters, raising fears of shortage of the meat for the Holy Communion celebrations scheduled across the State on Sunday, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai said he expects the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to take a firm stand on the raids on beef, even as Deputy Speaker and BJP leader Michael Lobo assured that the ruling government will not allow any activist or organization to resort to dadagiri and stop beef supply.
In fact, when beef traders descended at Sardesai's residence around Saturday noon, the TCP Minister telephonically spoke to the Chief Minister seeking his immediate intervention and stop harassment of the beef traders. Michael Lobo, who was with Sardesai, said the government will start acting no sooner the Chief Minister receives representation from the beef traders.
"Beef is the staple diet of Goans. When the government cannot dictate terms to the people what to eat, no individual or officer of any outstation agency can enforce anything contrary to the law of the land. They are acting as if they are working for someone and the government should intervene to put them in place. They cannot harass someone on the pretext of not producing documents," Michael said, while promising to personally speak to the Chief Minster to know how an individual can destroy beef by pouring phenyl on grounds that it is unhygienic. "Indirectly, this officer is trying to say stop eating beef. The Chief Minister is the head of the Goa Meat Complex and also the Home department. He needs to act," he told The Goan during his visit to Margao.
Demanding to know why these activists and officers of some outstation agency do not take care of strays causing road accidents, Michael said ‘these people have no love for the strays. They are only interested in knowing who is eating what inside their homes."
The TCP Minister said the Chief Minister will have to take into consideration the ongoing raids on beef imported by some organisatoins on the pretext of certificates. "Certain people have become over enthusiastic and have crossed all rational boundaries in their behavior. This is nothing but harassment of the traders. The Chief Minister will have to take all these into consideration," Sardesai said.
While admitting that a cow slaughter ban is in force in Goa, the TCP Minister, however, reminded that there is no ban on consumption of beef.
"I spoke to the Chief Minister and explained that beef may go off the plate on the occasion of Holy Communion across the State on Sunday. I expect the Chief Minister to take a strong stand and send a strong message. The government had sent a strong message to the VHP when the government was formed. And, the message should go again to all and sundry that the law of the land will prevail and overenthusiastic offices and activists will not be allowed to hold the trade to ransom", he said.
Reminding that Goa is a tourist state, wherein millions of people from across the world visit the state every year, the TCP Minister demanded to know whether the tourists can be told to change their food habits during their stay in the state.
As beef traders downed shutters, raising fears of shortage of the meat for the Holy Communion celebrations scheduled across the State on Sunday, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai said he expects the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to take a firm stand on the raids on beef, even as Deputy Speaker and BJP leader Michael Lobo assured that the ruling government will not allow any activist or organization to resort to dadagiri and stop beef supply.
In fact, when beef traders descended at Sardesai's residence around Saturday noon, the TCP Minister telephonically spoke to the Chief Minister seeking his immediate intervention and stop harassment of the beef traders. Michael Lobo, who was with Sardesai, said the government will start acting no sooner the Chief Minister receives representation from the beef traders.
"Beef is the staple diet of Goans. When the government cannot dictate terms to the people what to eat, no individual or officer of any outstation agency can enforce anything contrary to the law of the land. They are acting as if they are working for someone and the government should intervene to put them in place. They cannot harass someone on the pretext of not producing documents," Michael said, while promising to personally speak to the Chief Minster to know how an individual can destroy beef by pouring phenyl on grounds that it is unhygienic. "Indirectly, this officer is trying to say stop eating beef. The Chief Minister is the head of the Goa Meat Complex and also the Home department. He needs to act," he told The Goan during his visit to Margao.
Demanding to know why these activists and officers of some outstation agency do not take care of strays causing road accidents, Michael said ‘these people have no love for the strays. They are only interested in knowing who is eating what inside their homes."
The TCP Minister said the Chief Minister will have to take into consideration the ongoing raids on beef imported by some organisatoins on the pretext of certificates. "Certain people have become over enthusiastic and have crossed all rational boundaries in their behavior. This is nothing but harassment of the traders. The Chief Minister will have to take all these into consideration," Sardesai said.
While admitting that a cow slaughter ban is in force in Goa, the TCP Minister, however, reminded that there is no ban on consumption of beef.
"I spoke to the Chief Minister and explained that beef may go off the plate on the occasion of Holy Communion across the State on Sunday. I expect the Chief Minister to take a strong stand and send a strong message. The government had sent a strong message to the VHP when the government was formed. And, the message should go again to all and sundry that the law of the land will prevail and overenthusiastic offices and activists will not be allowed to hold the trade to ransom", he said.
Reminding that Goa is a tourist state, wherein millions of people from across the world visit the state every year, the TCP Minister demanded to know whether the tourists can be told to change their food habits during their stay in the state.
