In Modi raj, beef export up: Ramalinga Reddy

Bengaluru: Dismissing BJP national president, Amit Shah's claim that  cow slaughter would be banned in toto if the party was elected in the state as an ‘election gimmick’, Home Minister, R. Ramalinga Reddy on Saturday said  the  country under the Modi government had emerged as the second biggest exporter of beef next only to Brazil. 

"Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh that are ruled by the BJP are the major exporting states. In BJP- ruled Goa 30 to 50 tonnes of beef is consumed every day. Union Minister, Kiran Rijiju has himself said he was a beef eater and no one could stop him,” he pointed out  adding, “ Can Mr Modi stop the consumption of beef in the North-eastern states where the BJP has come to power?”

Mr Reddy, who was speaking to reporters here, said if the BJP was so concerned about cow slaughter, why was it not banning it across the country.

Recalling  that India  exported 1,850 metric tonnes of beef in 2017 and the earning from beef export in 2015-16  stood at Rs 26,682 crore, the Minister said the country was expected to emerge the top exporter of beef the current financial year,  beating Brazil.

Coming down heavily on the BJP president for visiting religious Mutts over  the last few days in the state when he had never bothered to do so previously,  he accused  him of doing so only with the elections in mind. "Mr Shah is a trader and has many big businessmen as associates. This had led to businessmen like Nirav Modi taking huge loans and running away from the country,” he alleged. 

Asked about his daughter, Soumya Reddy , he said she hoped to contest from Jayanagar constituency in Bengaluru this coming poll and Bommanahalli was not in the reckoning.