Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday ruled out any plan to issue licences and give relaxation to foreigners to consume beef in the state, where a stringent cow protection law was passed nearly 11 months ago.
"Gau maans bandh hein, kaheen koyee vichar nahin hai is prakar ka (there is beef ban in the state, no such proposal is under consideration)," Khattar told reporters in Nilokheri in Karnal on the sidelines of a function.
He was asked to comment on some media reports suggesting that the state government was mulling issuing beef licences or special permits to foreigners. "There is neither such thing in pipeline, nor has anyone said so," he added.
When another reporter asked if licences or permits would be given to foreigners, he replied, "At the moment, there is no such proposal". Notably, Khattar had been quoted as saying in a section of the media that he was open to relax the beef ban for foreigners in the state.
Haryana's 'Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Bill, passed by the Assembly in March 2015, came into force in November last after President Pranab Mukherjee's assent.
Under the provisions of the law, cow trafficking, slaughtering and eating beef are banned in the state. The law clamps a complete ban on cow slaughter in the state and provides for a rigorous imprisonment ranging from three years to 10 years for killing the animal.
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