HC decision on beef ban must be strictly implemented: Balyan

Jammu: Union Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Balyan on Monday said the decision of Jammu and Kashmir High Court on beef ban in the state should be strictly implemented, and action must be taken against any individual who defies the court ruling.

"The decision taken by the High Court must be strictly implemented. Definitely, action should be taken against those people who defy the ruling of the High Court," he told reporters here today.

Balyan was in Jammu to attend a function to apprise the party workers about the benefits of Mudra Bank.

When asked why the state unit of BJP was silent when the bovine animals were openly being 'slaughtered' in the Valley, he said, "BJP is not silent as I am telling you that the decision (of the High Court) has to be strongly implemented."

"BJP has not failed (in the implementation of ban) anywhere. BJP has implemented it in Haryana, Maharashtra, and the party will implement it everywhere," he further said.

When asked to comment on the statement of Mehbooba Mufti, president of the coalition partner in the state, that beef should not be banned in Jammu and Kashmir, Balyan said, "It can be their (PDP) thinking but not ours. No doubt if the decision has come through High Court, it has to be implemented."

About reports that a BJP leader from south Kashmir was planning to hold a beef party, the Minister said, "Our state president has informed us that the leader has made it clear that he is not going to hold a beef party but instead would hold a vegetarian and non-vegetarian party. It is not a beef party."