Rijiju Does a U-Turn, Says he was ‘Misquoted’ on Beef Remark

Following a controversy over his remarks on the beef ban, MoS Home Kiren Rijiju says he was “misquoted”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with MoS Home, Kiren Rijiju (R). (Photo Courtesy: Facebook.com/Kiren Rijiju)

In a sharp u-turn from his previous comment, MoS Home Kiren Rijiju has said that he was “misquoted” by the media on his beef remark.

Earlier, the Minister had hit back at Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi for his comments that people who eat beef should go to Pakistan. Rijiju said,

I eat beef, I’m from Arunachal Pradesh, can somebody stop me? So let us not be touchy about somebody’s practices.

Following a controversy over his remark, Rijiju has clarified in a post on the social media. He says,

India is a secular country where food habits can’t be stopped but the faiths and sentiments of Hindus must be respected in Hindu majority states same as other communities have rights in their own areas.

- Kiren Rijiju, MoS Home

MoS Home Kiren Rijiju clarifies on his beef remark in a post on Facebook. 

Earlier, calling Naqvi’s comments “not palatable”during a visit to Aizawl on Tuesday, Rijiju emphasised that India is a democratic country and certain statements made by his colleagues can hurt people’s sentiments and create unnecessary controversy, as reported by The Indian Express.

If a Mizo Christian says that this is the land of Jesus, why should someone have a problem in Punjab or Haryana? We have to honour the sentiments of each place and each location. If Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh or Gujarat is Hindu majority, if they are to make laws which are conducive to the Hindu faith, let them be. But in our place, in our state where we are majority, where we feel whatever steps we take, you know, laws which are conducive to our beliefs, it should be. So they also should not have a problem with the way we live, and we also should not have a problem with the way they live
– Kiren Rijiju Told The Indian Express