Sonia Gandhi asks Assam partymen to fight against 'cattle bill'

A day after the Assam Assembly passed the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, Congress President Sonia Gandhi urged Congress leaders from Assam to start a massive campaign highlighting the cons of the bill.

New Delhi: A day after the Assam Assembly passed the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday urged Congress leaders from Assam to start a massive campaign highlighting the cons of the bill.

The Congress supremo gave the diktat after a delegation of Congress leaders including Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah accompanied by MPs and MLAs called on Gandhi in New Delhi.

The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, which prohibits the sale, offer or exposure of beef in areas that are predominantly inhabited by Hindu, Jain, Sikh and other non-beef-eating communities. The prohibition will also come into effect within a radius of 5 km of any temple, Satra (Vaishnavite monastery), or other Hindu religious institutions. It also may be applicable to any other institution or areas prescribed by the competent authority.

While speaking to ETV Bharat, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Debabrata Saikia said that the bill is anti-people.

“The legislation would affect the livelihoods of the 'poorest of the poor'. We have demanded that the bill be referred to a select committee for further discussions,” said Saikia. He said that this bill will destroy the livelihood of several families in the State.

Read: Amid strong opposition, Assam passes Cattle preservation Bill

It may be mentioned here that the Opposition in Assam Assembly especially Congress, AIUDF as well as CPI (M) have proposed at least 75 amendments and asked the government to refer the bill to a select committee for further discussion. The proposal was, however, rejected by the State government.

Saikia said that his party will conduct a State-wide awareness campaign against the bill in its present form.

The Congress delegation from Assam has also been instructed by the party high command to take strict action against any leaders found involved in anti-party activities.

Borah who has recently been appointed as the State president of the party said that his party will chalk out a strategy to fight against the incumbent government.

Referring to the forthcoming by-elections in five Assembly constituencies of the State, Borah said that his party has not yet exited from the grand alliance which was formed during the last Assembly election. By-elections in Assam will take place in Tamulpur, Thowra, Gossaigaon, Mariani and Majuli constituencies.

Interestingly, the State Congress has already set up five different election committees headed by five top Congress leaders to look after election preparedness and overall plan in these five constituencies.

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