Where is your Hindutva: Goa Shiv Sena to Koshyari over beef issue

The Shiv Sena in Goa on Wednesday chided Bhagat Singh Koshyari, currently Governor of both Maharashtra as well as Goa, for his silence over Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's overtures to minority communities in the coastal state over providing adequate supply of beef amid a shortage.

Speaking to reporters in Panaji, Jitesh Kamat, state president of the Shiv Sena in Goa, said that his party was surprised by Koshyari's silence on Sawant's willingness to provide live cattle for slaughter in Goa, especially when two months ago the Governor had attacked Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for denying Hindus entry to temples during the Covid-19 lockdown.

"Where is Bhagat Singh Koshyari now when the Goa CM has assured arrangement for providing beef in Goa? Hindus worship cows. When the Maharashtra government did not open temples due to Covid-19, the same Governor had asked Uddhav Thackeray 'where is your Hindutva?'" Kamat said.

"We ask Koshyari, when the BJP government in Goa led by CM Pramod Sawant has facilitated slaughter of cattle in Goa, why are you quiet today? Where is your Hindutva? You were making tall claims about Hindutva in Maharashtra then. You should lecture Sawant in the same manner now," Kamat also said.

Koshyari and Thackeray had a run-in after the former slammed the Maharashtra CM for not opening temples in the state, which were closed due to a high rate of Covid-19 infection at the time.

The Shiv Sena in response had accused Koshyari of "crossing limits" and lowering the prestige of his post.

Beef is in short supply in Goa, more than a week after the Karnataka government passed a stringent anti-cattle slaughter law. Goa consumes nearly 25 tons of beef every day, most of which is sourced from Karnataka.

In view of the shortage, especially ahead of the festive week, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured that the Goa government will actively work with beef traders to ensure that there is no shortage in availability of red meat.