Shillong, (IANS) : Former Rajya Sabha member and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Vice-President Avinash Rai Khanna on Friday said the state governments should decide whether to ban cow slaughter.

“It depends upon the state to decide whether to ban cow slaughter,” he told journalists here in Meghalaya if the BJP-led NDA government plans to impose beef ban in the northeastern states of the country.

However, he said the sentiments of the public at large will be taken into consideration on whether to ban cow slaughter.

On the cow vigilantism in the Hindu-heartland, the BJP leader said, it was the duty of the state government to maintain law and order.

“If there is a violation of the law (ban on cow slaughter), then action must be taken as per the law of the land. But nobody has any right to take law into his hand,” he said.

On the amendment to the Citizenship Act which gives Bangladeshi Hindus Indian citizenship, Khanna said: “There is a procedure and it will be followed. If anyone comes under that provision they will get citizenship.”