Those who want should be allowed to eat beef, says Niti Ayog chief Amitabh Kant

New Delhi: One of India's top bureaucrats and Niti Ayog CEO Amitabh Kant has said that in a democracy like India, people should be allowed to eat whatever they wish to.

Kant said while speaking at an awards function on Tuesday night that if people want to eat beef, let them have it.

"I believe we are in a democracy, we should allow people to decide what they want to say, we should allow people to decide what they want to eat," NDTV quoted Kant as saying.

"Of course! There should be freedom of choice,” he added.

The Niti Aayog chief was commenting on the recent controversy over beef consumption amid the debate that in a Hindu-majority nation like India, beef should be banned as cows are holy to Hindus.