Shillong: Meghalaya Cabinet Minister Comingone Ymbon has strongly opposed the nationwide call to ban cow slaughter, emphasizing that no individual or group should dictate the food habits of the state’s residents.
Ymbon, who oversees Food and Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs, asserted that India’s secular nature guarantees freedom of choice in dietary preferences. He noted that beef is an integral part of Meghalaya’s cuisine, particularly in the Christian-majority state.
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The minister argued that prohibiting cow slaughter would have adverse economic consequences, affecting cow breeders who rely on the trade.
“If cows are not sold, they will die and go to waste, which is not a viable solution,” Ymbon said.
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Ymbon vowed to raise the concerns of Meghalaya’s citizens with Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, ensuring that external groups do not interfere with the state’s traditions and economic activities.
The minister’s stance comes in response to Jagatguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati of Jyotirmath’s campaign against cow slaughter.