BJP effect: Beef is vanishing from India’s Bengal, forcing diet changes

Kolkata's only slaughterhouse in the Tangra neighborhood has been closed since May 2026 following a notice from the West Bengal government banning bovine slaughter. This decision came shortly after the BJP's victory in the state elections, ending 15 years of Trinamool Congress rule. The new regulations state that only certified animals can be slaughtered, leading to significant changes in the dietary habits of the locals.