Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju described the statement recently made by Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on cow slaughter as "not palatable". Rijiju said that while states having Hindu majority could enact legislation banning cow slaughter, it could not be imposed on north eastern states where majority of the people are eating beef. Terming the recent statement of Naqvi as "not good", he, however, said that the Minister was using his freedom of speech and expression. He said that the cultures, traditions, habits and sentiments of all the people in the country should be respected and honoured. Jomy Yes
Mukhtar sparked a controversy by saying, "If a certain section (of people) is dying because they can't sell or eat beef then this is not the country for them. Let them go to Pakistan or an Arab nation, or any other part of world where it is available."
