Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma refutes TMC's claims that the BJP will ban meat consumption in West Bengal, clarifying the party's stance on food policies and accusing the TMC of promoting cattle smuggling.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday accused the TMC of making false claims that the BJP would stop consumption of meat and fish if it wins the assembly polls in West Bengal.
Addressing a poll rally in support of BJP candidates here in north Bengal, Sarma asserted that one can eat as much non-vegetarian food as one wants in saffron party-ruled Assam.
He said that the only restriction in Assam is on consumption of beef.
"You can go to Dhubri or Goalpara and eat fish and meat as much as you want; there is no restriction," Sarma said.
"(CM) Mamata Banerjee is worried that once a BJP government is formed in West Bengal, the beef trade here will stop," he alleged.
The Assam chief minister also claimed that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) wants cattle smuggling to Bangladesh to "continue so that they can fill their pockets".
Central investigating agencies, including the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, have been probing alleged cattle smuggling from West Bengal to Bangladesh.
Sarma said West Bengal requires a government capable of providing proper "treatment" to Bangladeshi immigrants, who entered the state illegally.
"We have to make the BJP victorious in West Bengal in this election to ensure this," he said.
Sarma said that the BJP government in Assam has ensured that Bangladeshi Muslims do not illegally occupy land in the northeastern state.
"We evicted them from illegally occupied land," he said.
Noting that Assam government employees get 50 per cent dearness allowance, Sarma also said despite West Bengal being a much bigger state, government employees here receive "only 22 per cent DA".
Elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held in two phases - on April 23 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.