Beef ban issue part of design to split society: CPI(M)

CPI(M) today claimed the beef ban issue was part of a design to split the society on religious lines and the sanctity of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly would be undermined if a discussion over it is not allowed.
"It (the beef ban issue) is designed and not spontaneous. There are some elements who have designed it to divide our society. We (Hindus and Muslims) have been living together. We haven't fought over these things ever.
"(However) there is a sustained campaign by forces inimical to peace and harmony who are hell bent to project the issue on divisive lines," lone CPI(M) MLA in the J&K Assembly Yousuf Tarigami told reporters here.

The south Kashmir MLA said the issue is bound to create more complications if it was not resolved through legislative procedures.
"We have seen that whenever, whichever democratic processes or institutions were undermined, new complications grew in the state. The assembly has its constitutional mandate and nobody, not even the Speaker of the Chief Minister, can afford to undermine it," he said.
Tarigami, who along with National Conference and Independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid, has moved separate bills seeking to strike down the Constitutional provisions criminalizing bovine slaughter in the state, said the Speaker had not informed them whether a discussion would be allowed on the bills in the House.

"We have not been told anything. The Speaker has to inform us even if the bills have been disallowed. There are set procedures. Even if a bill is disallowed on technical grounds, the member must be informed," he said.