TURA: Senior Congress leader Zenith M. Sangma led a rally here on Thursday in protest against the Centre’s decision to ban sale of cattle for slaughter.
The Cabinet Minister said the notification by the Forests and Environment Ministry is aimed at suppressing minorities and would adversely affect the farming community.
The Congress is also planning to hold a ‘beef fest’ in Tura on Saturday.
Zenith, the younger brother of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, said the central notification was aimed at targeting minority communities like Christians and Muslims.
He cautioned that any move to ban beef in the country would lead to divisions within minorities.
“Garos have been involved in cattle trade for generations. But if the new norms are enforced farmers will be affected severely,” said Zenith.
The rally was attended by Congress MLAs Noverfield Marak, Winnerson Sangma and Cherak Momin. They later took out a procession through the main thoroughfares of the town.
The Congress also accused NPP of siding with a party that has a “saffron agenda”.
Labelling the NPP as “a party of wolves in sheep’s clothing”, Zenith accused Conrad Sangma’s party of subscribing to the BJP ideology by joining hands with it to form government in Manipur.
“The Congress was the single largest party with 28 seats in the recently concluded Manipur elections. If NPP was concerned for the welfare of the people it could have joined us in the formation of the government but they instead chose to align with BJP revealing their true colour. We need to be worried about NPP’s politics in Garo Hills,” said Zenith.
