Panaji, Jul 26(Zee News): Contrary to demands made by his party colleagues and right-wing leaders, a BJP legislator has demanded the opening of Goa meat complex, claiming that there is a huge shortage of beef in the state.

''I want the minister to tell me when Goa meat complex will start and whether there will be an interference from so-called 'gau rakshaks'. I respect them but there are people in Goa in large numbers who eat beef. You cannot stop that, '' BJP MLA Michael Lobo said.

Lobo made these remarks while speaking in the Goa Assembly on Wednesday.

Speaking on the issue, Lobo said that his remarks will not be well received by some people, but that will not stop him from saying the truth.

''Some may not like the way I am talking. If we do not want beef to come from Karnataka and Maharashtra, then certified cattle in Goa should be slaughtered at govt meat complex,'' the BJP legislator said, adding that, ''It has to start.''

The firebrand BJP MLA also came down heavily on the cow vigilantes who were blocking the entry of beef into the state.

''Some so-called cow protectors are standing at the state border and blocking the entry for beef being brought to Goa. Goa meat complex is shut. We've failed on this front. There are many meat eaters in Goa, '' Lobo said.

Lobo also said that the beef ban was badly affecting tourism in the state.

''Tourists come here to eat beef. There is a huge shortage of beef in Goa,'' Lobo said.

The statement from Lobo comes at a time when several right-wing outfits and their leaders have urged people, especially Muslims, to shun beef so as to prevent the incidents of mob lynching.

Recently, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar had said that incidents of lynching would cease if people stopped eating beef.

“Jesus was born in a cowshed. That is why they call it the ‘holy cow’. Cow slaughter is banned in Mecca and Medina. We should make it a resolution to rid humanity of this sin. If humanity gets rid of this sin, the society will get rid of this problem (lynching)... Mob lynchings are condemnable, but cow slaughter is a sin across religions,” the RSS leader had said on July 23.

Indresh was backed by Shia Waqf Board chief Waseem Rizvi, who said that security can’t be deployed everywhere and a law should be made to punish the ones indulging in cow slaughter.

“Muslims should stop eating beef. The killing of cows should stop. The cow meat is 'haram' in Islam as well. You can't stop mob lynching, security can't be deployed everywhere. So a law should be made awarding strict punishment to those killing cows,” he said.

In the aftermath of the Alwar lynching incident, Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan had appealed to Muslims to stay away from cow and the dairy business in order to protect their coming generations.

Khan's wife Tanzeem Fatima too returned a cow gifted to them by a seer over fears of mob lynching.