Himanta Biswa Sarma has praised several Eidgah committees across Assam for appealing to Muslims not to slaughter cows during Bakrid in the interest of maintaining communal harmony.
In a post on X, the Chief Minister said Eidgah committees in Hojai, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Udharbond and several other places had urged people to refrain from cow slaughter during the festival while also explaining the legal and religious reasons behind the appeal.
“They have respected the sentiments of the majority community. Such voluntary actions will go a long way in strengthening communal harmony in Assam,” Sarma said.
The Chief Minister also expressed hope that other Eidgah committees across the state would issue similar appeals.
In its public appeal, the Hojai Town Eidgah and Kabarasthan Committee stated that although existing laws do not prohibit cow sacrifice outside a specified distance from temples, the town has more than a hundred temples and a mixed population belonging to different faiths. Therefore, the committee said cow sacrifice was practically not possible within the jurisdiction of the Hojai Eidgah.
The committee appealed to people to sacrifice other lawful animals during Bakrid and also urged them not to share photos or videos of sacrificial animals or meat on social media platforms.
Under the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, the trade and consumption of beef are prohibited in areas predominantly inhabited by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and other non-beef-eating communities, or within a radius of five kilometres from temples and similar religious institutions.
The law also prohibits transportation of cattle without valid permits from Assam to states where cattle slaughter is not regulated by law, except for agricultural or animal husbandry purposes.
In December 2024, the Assam government further announced a ban on serving and consuming beef in public places, including hotels, restaurants and community gatherings, stating that the move was intended to strengthen the existing cattle preservation law.
Meanwhile, former Assam MLA Ali Akbar Miya was arrested by Assam Police in Dhubri for allegedly making provocative and threatening remarks on social media targeting state police and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ahead of Eid.
Ali Akbar Miya, a former MLA from Bilasipara West representing the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), had most recently contested the 2026 Assam Assembly elections from the newly demarcated Birsing-Jarua constituency.
Police reportedly detained him from his residence after videos surfaced online in which he allegedly made derogatory remarks against the police force and criticised the Assam Cattle Preservation Act.
