Speaking his mind out on the cattle slaughter ban and the beef ban issue that has cropped up as a result, Urban Development Minister, Francis D’Souza, said that certain food habits in India existed centuries ago and no one can dictate what one should eat.
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“Food habits of the nation existed for 100 of years. Suddenly you cannot say stop this and stop that. Frankly speaking, I don’t eat beef. But just because I don’t eat it, I cannot stop others from eating it,” D’Souza said.
Speaking further, the minister said everyone was free to harbour extreme ideas but it becomes a problem when you force those ideas on others.
“Everybody has a right to have extreme ideas. Just because I have that extreme idea in my head, it does not mean I can impose my extreme ideas on others,” he said without naming persons or groups.
It may be recalled that Gau Rakshaks (cow protectors) have been on a rampage in the recent past in other parts of the country and in some cases even leading to deaths of some innocent people.
D’Souza said he will raise and seek clarity on the issue of beef ban with Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, to dispel doubts in the minds of the minority community in Goa.
“I will be talking to the chief minister tomorrow (Monday). The government has to clarify on the confusion regarding a ban on slaughter of cows and the sale and consumption of beef. Government cannot create doubts in the minds of the people,” he said.
Goa was staring at a beef shortage after fresh stocks from Karnataka were stopped following confusion relating to the central government’s notification prohibiting sale of cattle through animal markets for slaughter.
The urban development minister said that cow slaughter was going on from 1964 and did not see any reason why beef should not be available now.
“There are restrictions put…like there is ban on working bulls. What are being killed are unserviceable bulls, not working bulls,” he said.
Union Minister for Ayush, Shripad Naik, on Saturday had also said that there was some anxiety in Goa over the beef ban.
