Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced a sweeping extension of the state’s beef ban, intensifying restrictions across Assam and sparking fierce debate. The move, which disproportionately impacts tribal communities, Muslims, and other beef-consuming groups, has been criticized by opposition parties as an assault on personal freedoms and cultural rights. Legal experts have raised concerns about the constitutionality of the ban, arguing that it infringes on fundamental rights to food choice, religious freedom, and livelihoods. The ban has also ignited debates on its implications for Assam’s diverse local economies, where beef plays a central role in food culture and trade. As tensions rise, the ban is seen by many as part of a broader pattern of using food and cultural practices as political tools, raising urgent questions about India’s secular fabric and the protection of minority rights.