Beef ban way to deflect attention from core issues: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday attacked the BJP and its government in Maharashtra for deflecting attention from their "malgovernance" by raking up issues like the recent ban on beef in the state.

Refraining to comment on the ban as the matter was before the courts, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said: "We would not like to comment on an ongoing proceeding between a judge and the advocate general (of Maharashtra). However, we request BJP to stop drawing attention away from the core issue of governance and its malgovernance."

The BJP government in Maharashtra on Monday justified its ban on slaughter of cows.

Surjewala said such a ban was first implemented in 1976, and was subsequently introduced by other states "based on their sensibilities and sensitivities".