Naqvi's statement on cow slaughter 'not palatable': Kiren Rijiju

Aizawl: Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday described the statement recently made by Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on cow slaughter as "not palatable".

Addressing a press conference after arriving in Aizawl for a two-day maiden visit after becoming Union Minister, Rijiju said that while states having Hindu majority could enact legislation banning cow slaughter, it could not be imposed on north eastern states where majority of the people are eating beef.

Also Read: Beef eaters can go to Pakistan: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Terming the recent statement of Naqvi as "not good", he, however, said that the Minister was using his freedom of speech and expression. He said that the cultures, traditions, habits and sentiments of all the people in the country should be respected and honoured.

Rijiju said his ministry thought that the rehabilitation and resettlement package for the repatriated Bru families was good enough. The Ministry of Home Affairs did not have any intention to concede to the demands of the Bru leaders in the relief camps in Tripura to increase rehabilitation and resettlement package.

The repatriated Bru family was given Rs 85,000 while the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), the apex body of the Brus in the six relief camps in North Tripura district, demanded Rs 1.5 lakh per family.

Mizoram government has been making preparations to resume repatriation of the Brus from the first week of June.