New Delhi: Amid the political row over the lynching of a man over rumoured beef eating in Dadri, Congress leader Digvijay Singh today said that his party will "consider" supporting a central law for a nation-wide ban on cow slaughter.
"If they bring a central legislation, we shall consider it," the Congress general secretary said when asked if he would back a central law banning cow slaughter across the country.
Singh said that such a ban was there in 24 of the 29 states of the country long before BJP came to power.
To a question on whether Kerala, where Congress leads a coalition with other parties like Muslim League, would also enact a law to this effect, he said it was upto the states to take the lead in the matter.
"I am a Hindu and I don't eat beef but I don't impose my will on the others. At the same time, we want that it is a state subject. Let the states take the lead," he said.
Party spokesman R P N Singh, when asked about Digvijay Singh's remarks, steered clear of the issue.
"Digvijay Singhji is a senior leader. I don't want to make any comment on his remarks," he said.
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At the AICC briefing, senior leader Pramod Tiwari also declined to comment saying there was a ban on cow slaughter in 25 of the 29 states and there was need to enforce the law strictly.
On the controversial remarks of Lalu Prasad that Hindus also consume beef, Tiwari said that it was better if the question was posed to the RJD chief himself.
Digvijay Singh, when asked about Lalu's remarks, said he has been misquoted as he is a Yadav who are known protectors of cows.
"I think Lalu Yadav was misquoted. The fact remains that he is a Yadav. Yadavs are people who have protected the cow, how can he be against the cow. It is being misled. Yadavs are the people who are protectors of cow," he said.
