TMC slams Meghalaya govt. for triggering beef crisis 

Shortage created to fulfil the BJP’s ‘hidden political agenda’, it said 

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Meghalaya has slammed the Conrad K. Sangma government for creating a beef crisis to fulfil the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ‘hidden political agenda’.

The BJP is a minor partner in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government headed Mr. Sangma’s National People’s Party. Five suspended MLAs of the Congress are also in the government. 

State TMC leader and the chief whip of the Opposition George Lyngdoh told the 60-member State Assembly on Monday that the Centre and the MDA government have together denied the people of Meghalaya access to beef. 

“The inaction of the State government proves beyond doubt that it is ensuring the BJP succeeds in its plans. The State government is making sure cattle do not reach Meghalaya and those that do, get smuggled [to adjoining Bangladesh],” he said. 

“The prices of the cattle that manage to reach the open market are so high that people cannot buy,” he added. 

Another TMC legislator, H.M. Shangpliang, said the government should come up with a cattle-rearing mission similar to the piggery mission. 

He informed the House that a survey conducted by the TMC revealed cows were not being brought to the State as the price of each has gone up from ₹10,000 to ₹25,000 while the price of beef has doubled to ₹600 per kg.