The Hindu : National / Elections 2004 : Sangma tells Garos: no ban on beef

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Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004

National

National - Elections 2004

Sangma tells Garos: no ban on beef

Sushanta Talukdar

Tikrikilla, Meghalaya

The former Lok Sabha Speaker and Nationalist Trinamool Congress (NTC) candidate from the Tura constituency, Purno Agitok Sangma, is riled with the Congress. The reason: an alleged campaign by the Congress that cow slaughter would be banned by the Bharatiya Janata Party in Meghalaya.

Addressing an election rally here, Mr. Sangma claimed that the Congress was spreading rumours that he (Sangma) had joined hands with the BJP, a party that would not allow the Garos, who are Christians, to eat beef.

"They are campaigning that the Garos will be not be able to eat beef if I am re-elected. For the last six years the BJP has been ruling the country. Were we not eating beef? Are we not going to church? I went to church on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This is nothing but false propaganda by the Congress," Mr. Sangma said.

Mr. Sangma is seeking election to the Lok Sabha for an eighth term and is locked in a straight contest with the State Public Works Department Minister, Mukul Sangma, of the Congress in the Tura Lok Sabha constituency.

Mr. Sangma has made it a point to clarify that he had not joined the BJP, as allegedly put out by the Congress, and that his new party is the Nationalist Trinamool Congress, which has been allotted the poll symbol of grass and flower.

Mr. Sangma's election agent, Thomas Sangma, has already moved the returning officer of the Tura Constituency against the distribution of pamphlets aimed at tarnishing the NTC leader's reputation.

The literal translation of the pamphlet in the Garo language reads: "Friends, Do you know that Purno A. Sangma's (the MP we elected) party NCP has split and he has joined the BJP. You know very well the motives of the BJP party, under which 1) Eating beef will not be allowed, and 2) There will be one religion only, Hinduism."

Mr. Sangma's election agent has lodged another complaint with the returning officer that posters with slogans in Garo saying, "We will follow Jesus but reject Purno," published in the name of Congress member Arnold Marak have been circulated in the East Garo Hills district with an "ulterior motive to arouse the religious sentiments of the voters against P.A. Sangma." He urged the returning officer to take steps to stop the circulation of such posters.

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