‘For 25 years, Rakibul Hussain Took Votes by Feeding Beef to Voters’: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

CM Sarma accused Hussain of using beef distribution as a political tool to win elections over the past two decades in Samaguri.

The war of words and politics over beef continues. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today once again accused Rakibul Hussain, Congress MP from Dhubri Lok Sabha seat of winning five times as MLA from Samaguri by distributing beef to voters of his constituency.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s remarks come amid a controversy after the state government’s recent decision to ban the consumption of beef in hotels, restaurants, and public spaces in Assam.

Speaking on the matter, CM Sarma today said, “Muslims in Assam consume beef, and there’s nothing new about it. We (The government) only said, do not consume it in public spaces like hotels or restaurants.”

It may be mentioned here that Rakibul Hussain recently alleged that BJP distributed beef to win the Muslim-dominated Samaguri constituency during the recently-held byelection.

The Chief Minister said that if Rakibul Hussain is saying that Muslims in Samaguri consumed beef for the first time, “he should inquire about it.”

CM Sarma accused Hussain of using beef distribution as a political tool to win elections over the past two decades in Samaguri.

“Indirectly he said that in the last 25 years, he and his father won the constituency distributing beef in Samaguri, and now I have banned it,” said CM Sarma.

This has come as the Assam Government has banned the consumption of beef in hotels, restaurants, and public places in Assam. The decision was taken at a state cabinet meeting to amend the existing law on beef consumption to incorporate the new provisions.

The government has also launched a crackdown on establishments violating the newly introduced beef ban in public places. Authorities have already sealed several hotels in Guwahati and other parts of the state found serving beef on Thursday. Two hotels in Guwahati’s Lokhra area-Mughal Garden and Darrang Hotel were shut down after raids.

The Hussains have been winning the Samaguri seat since 1981 when Rakibul Hussain’s father Nurul Hussain won the seat for the first time as a Congress candidate. He won the seat again in 1991. After that Rakibul Hussain won the seat 5 times in 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021.

His son Tanzil Hussain recently contested the by-election in the constituency but lost.

The government’s beef ban has also triggered public outrage, with Rakibul Hussain facing significant backlash, especially in Dhubri, where he serves as a Lok Sabha MP.

Also Read: Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain Faces Backlash Amid Public Outcry Over Assam’s Beef Ban

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