SHILLONG, Dec 10: NPP leader and Cabinet Minister Marcuise N Marak on Tuesday criticised the restrictions on food habits, stating that such measures infringe upon the fundamental rights of citizens. He was referring to the Assam government’s decision to prohibit the consumption of beef in public places.
“Restricting food habits is not good,” Marak remarked, adding, “Our right to freedom of speech and our right to freedom of economic activities are being curtailed. In fact, our fundamental rights are being deprived by imposing such restrictions.”
He emphasised the democratic principle of personal choice, stating, “We are a democracy, and we are free to eat what we want. Food habits are a personal right. I do not support the kind of bans imposed by some governments in any state.”
Marak further argued, “We have every right to maintain our own food habits. For example, we eat many different things, and placing restrictions on what we eat is not acceptable.”
The remarks come in response to the Assam Cabinet’s decision, announced recently, to extend the restrictions under the Cattle Preservation Act, 2021. The new rules prohibit the consumption of beef in public places, including hotels, restaurants, and community spaces, across the state. The Act also bans the sale of beef in areas predominantly inhabited by non-beef-eating communities.
Earlier, senior BJP leader and MLA, Sanbor Shullai had slammed the Assam government’s decision to ban the consumption of beef in hotels and public places, while condemning the diktat.
“When you travel to different countries, people eat snakes, rats, and even insects. It is their personal choice; why should you restrict people from consuming beef?” Shullai had said.
The BJP MLA had also stated that he would approach the central BJP leadership to apprise them of his opposition to the move.
It may also be recalled that Meghalaya had witnessed a high drama after a right-wing organisation announced a ‘Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra’ in Shillong on October 2 which was aimed at declaring the cow as the “Mother of the Nation” and advocating for a beef ban in the Christian-dominated state.
The state government, however, did not permit a chartered flight carrying the organisation’s head, Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati Maharaj and his team to land at the Shillong Airport in Umroi on September 28.
The Shankaracharya and his team later issued a statement saying that despite being denied entry in Shillong, he hoisted the flag at a height of 21,000 feet as soon as his flight reached the skies of Meghalaya, fulfilling his goal of promoting cow protection.
