Beef ban sensitive issue, react responsibly: Azad

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Thursday that the court order to enforce beef ban in the state is a sensitive matter.

He also appealed for calm and tolerance over the issue.

"Selling beef and the court order to strictly enforce ban on slaughter and sale of beef in the state is a sensitive issue. But we must not react emotionally to it," Azad said in Srinagar while talking to the reporters.

He said before reacting to the court order in rage, "we must see its consequences on the other side of the tunnel (Jammu province) and in other parts of India".

"Usually, decisions taken in haste and reacting to issues emotionally is not good. So I appeal to everyone, particularly youth, not to act emotionally and act responsibly keeping in view aspirations in every district of the state," he said.

Protests and clashes were witnessed in Kashmir and separatist leaders called for shutdown over beef ban, terming it "interference in religious affairs".

Last week, a division bench of Jammu and Kashmir High Court directed the state police chief to ensure strict compliance of the ban order on sale and slaughter of beef after a public suit was filed before it.