Assam: CM Asks Eknath Shinde To Make MLA Withdraw His ‘Dog Meat’ Comment

GUWAHATI: Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, has written a letter to Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, in response to remarks made by a legislator regarding the sending of stray dogs to Assam and the consumption of dog meat.

In Assam, several police cases have been filed against Bachchu Kadu, a legislator from Maharashtra.

On March 4, Mr. Kadu spoke at a Maharashtra assembly session about the consumption of dog meat in Assam. In response to Mr. Kadu's remarks, Assamese citizens and a number of organisations demonstrated against the Maharashtra lawmaker and requested an apology from him.

"I have written to the Maharashtra Chief Minister to ask the legislator to remove the statement made on the consumption of dog meat by the people of Assam," Mr. Sarma said in a speech to the Assam legislature.

If the remark had not been recorded in the house, according to Mr. Sarma, the MLA would have faced consequences. Yet according to the Assam Chief Minister, the police cannot intervene in response to remarks made inside the house.

In a letter to Mr Shinde, a copy of which is available with the media, Mr Sarma said, "I am writing this to bring to your kind notice that recently during the session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Bachchu Kadu, MLA from the Prahar Janashakti Party, had made very derogatory remarks about the people of Assam."

"He had shockingly stated that the stray dogs of Maharashtra should be sent to Assam for consumption and dogs are in demand in Assam for this purpose. Along with the people of Assam, I am extremely dismayed and agitated by the comments of the aforesaid MLA which has exposed his prejudices and ignorance about the culture of our state," Mr Sarma said.

"I am sure that you will fully empathise with the sentiments of the people of Assam in this matter. In this backdrop, I request you to advise Kadu to withdraw the comments and ask him to make a press statement expressing regret," the Assam Chief Minister said.

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