BJP’s anti-beef crusader had ‘links’ with meat export firm

Meerut, October 10

Firebrand BJP leader Sangeet Som, who has been leading a strident campaign against beef consumption in the wake of the Dadri killing, was himself related to meat business as a director on the board of a leading producer and exporter of “halal” meat, it has emerged.

The regulatory filings made by the company named Al-Dua Food Processing Private Limited show that Som was a director, a post from which he resigned in 2008 after having served the board for three years since registration of the company.

Published documents also purportedly showed that Som was the first signatory to the memorandum of association of Al-Dua when it was registered in 2005 with the explicit objective of manufacturing, processing, buying and selling of meat and products.

However, Som, who evaded specific questions on his directorship of a meat firm, denied any links to the company. When contacted, Som denied being associated with any meat company and said allegations are being levelled against him to tarnish his image.

“I don’t even eat egg, and meat business is completely out of question,” said the BJP MLA from Sardhana, an accused in the Muzzafarnagar riots case of 2013.

“This is not the first attempt to tarnish my image and the Samajwadi Party has levelled similar allegations against me on past six occasions,” he said.

Asked about the company dealing in meat business, he said a company deals in “thousands of things” and how was he supposed to know everything.

On its website, Al-Dua claims to be a “leading producer and exporter of ‘halal meat’ from India and says it is part of “the famous M K Group conglomerate of companies”.

When asked about purchase of land in Aligarh as director of Al-Dua company, Som said he was neither a director nor associated with any meat company. He admitted to have purchased a land parcel in Aligarh a few years ago for "investment purpose", but said he had later sold that piece of land.

The matter came to light after UP Cabinet Minister Azam Khan accused Som of asking for permit for a slaughter house. — PTI