Beef traders in Goa on Saturday declared an indefinite strike over constant harassment by cow vigilante groups.
Manna Bepari, president of Qureshi Meat Traders Association of Goa, said that the strike would continue till the government cracks down on cow vigilantes. Mr. Bepari demanded the State government to ease procedures to import beef from neighbouring States, which have now been hampered by cow vigilantes.
‘Stop raids’
Mr. Bepari said, “We are tired of raids by cow vigilante groups. They are not allowing us to carry on with our business. Every other day these groups target our beef consignments that reach the open market from Karnataka. Government officials also keep harassing us.”
Mr. Bepari said that no beef shop in the State would be open from Saturday. He said, “The government needs to step in and stop these vigilante groups from taking law into their own hands.”
Mr. Bepari said that cow vigilante groups had conducted more than five raids on beef being transported during Christmas and New Year, when the sale of beef was at its peak in the State.
Goa consumes around 30 tonnes of beef daily and it is mostly eaten by members of minority communities, who comprise 30% of Goa’s population. According to official statistics from the Goa Meat Complex Ltd., the State’s only abattoir is allowed to slaughter only buffaloes and cattle.
Mr. Bepari said that the State abattoir has not been functioning to its full capacity for the last few months, forcing meat traders to import a bulk of the beef from Karnataka.
