Sale of cattle for slaughter: Beef party held in Mizoram during Rajnath Singh's visit to protest new rules

Aizawl: Hundreds of people on Monday took part in a beef party here to coincide with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's visit as a mark of protest against new rules restricting the sale of cattle for slaughter.

Over 2,000 people gathered at the Vanapa Hall, just 200 metres from the Raj Bhavan where Rajnath Singh presided over a high-level meeting to review security along the India-Myanmar border.

The beef fest was organised by Zolife, a local organisation. The organisers clarified that the event was not aimed at promoting beef eating but to reassert the freedom granted to citizens by the Indian constitution.

"Earlier, there was no objection to eating of beef. But now we see a conspiracy to deprive us of some of our basic rights. What one eats should be decided by him or her. There should not be any imposition," Zolife member Remruata Varte told IANS.

"People of different religion are living peacefully in Mizoram, with a majority of them Christians. There is no restriction on anyone that he cannot follow or practice his religion in Mizoram," Varte said.

He said the beef party was a token protest against the Centre's notification. He added that people braved rains to participate in the event.