‘I do not feel there is a deep link between Hindus and cows. But the agrarian families and cows are deeply linked’

The Bharatiya Janata Party has forced its Karnataka spokesperson Vaman Acharya to eat his words on beef consumption.

Acharya has retracted and apologized for his comments on a Kannada news channel where he said that all Indians, including Brahmins, consumed beef before the country turned agrarian, The Hindu reported.

Acharya, who calls himself a ‘scientific man’ had said that there were many communities in the north-east of the country who also consumed beef. Vaman Acharya is a doctor by qualification.

“As a scientific man, a cow is not ‘gomaata’ to me. I do not feel there is a deep link between Hindus and cows. But the agrarian families and cows are deeply linked,” he had reportedly said, adding that the issue of cow-slaughter should be seen from a socio-economic perspective and not a religious one.

As expected, the remark caused uproar within party ranks in the state with BJP State general secretary C.T. Ravi and former spokesperson Go. Madhusudhan condemning Acharya’s comments. BJP spokesperson S. Suresh Kumar also reportedly issued a statement distancing the party from Acharya’s view and saying that it was not the official party line.

After, Acharya is quoted saying that he had not opposed cow-slaughter nor the cattle-trade regulations.  He told the newspaper that it was his personal view and since he was informed that it was not in keeping with the party’s official stand, he has retracted it.

The government had banned the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter.

Several places in Kerala and Tamil Nadu witnessed demonstrations against the ban on sale of cattle for slaughter, with the protesters saying it infringed upon the food habits of sections of people.

Later, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court called for a four-week stay on the ban on May 30, and asked for responses from the state government and the Centre in the matter.