MARGAO
Salcete's lone Minister, Aleixo Sequeira, on Monday said he sees no reason why beef should not be available for the Christian community for the ensuing Christmas festival, saying the meat traders should go the extra mile and ensure beef is available to anyone who wants to buy.
Speaking to the media, Sequeira, however, said no one should take the law into their own hands, pointing out that the police had acted in the clash between the Gau Rakshas and the meat traders at the SGPDA market.
Asked whether beef would be available for Christians for the ensuing Christmas festival, Sequeira said that the beef trade is in the hands of the minority community. “They have shut down the market. They should think because there’s a substantial number of beef customers belonging to the minority community. Therefore, I believe they should go the extra mile and ensure that beef is made available to anyone who wants to buy,” he said.
Asked to comment on claims of harassment raised by the beef traders, the Minister said he does not think the traders are being harassed.
“I think the issue primarily is whether to bring beef from outside the State or to patronise the Goa Meat Complex, which is supplying hygienic beef to the people. I am told that the main issue is the difference in price. It is the government’s wish to make hygienic beef available, and that’s the reason the government is requesting the beef vendors to patronise the Meat Complex,” he added.
