Shillong, Aug 1: BJP leader and Cabinet Minister, Sanbor Shullai on Sunday clarified that his ‘eat more beef’ comment has been highly exaggerated and misunderstood.

In a letter to the President of Press Club of India on Sunday, Shullai said, “The whole statement has been given a new dimension with few media houses editing the actual press briefing leading to a different interpretation of what was said by me.”

He said the beef comment was particularly made in context to the state of Assam where a ban on it created a panic among the indigenous tribal and other communities in the state of Meghalaya who consume it and consider beef as a staple diet.

Shullai said the people of Meghalaya too have a similar fear that if they vote BJP into power, the same would be applied here.

“So, to eradicate any such fears against the BJP, I wanted to tell the indigenous tribal people here in Meghalaya that they will be able to continue to eat more beef without the fear of any item being banned in the state of Meghalaya.”

“Thus, my only intent was to tell the citizens of Meghalaya that no such rule would  ever come to affect the lives of the indigenous tribal people here in the state of Meghalaya and not for any other purpose,” he said.

He also appealed to all the citizens of the country and to the people of Meghalaya that they should not get carried away by misquoted or misinterpreted news articles. “These are tactics used by opposition and vested individuals who look to jump on any opportunity,” he said.

The newly inducted cabinet minister further assured the indigneous tribal people of Meghalaya that the BJP will protect them and their unique heritage and that it will never interfere with the socio-cultural way of the people’s lives.