By TCN Staff Reporter,
Hyderabad: Muslims in the city may have to face more restrictions and riders over qurbani (ritual slaughtering) in the upcoming festival of Eidul Azha.
Succumbing to the pressure of right wing Hindu groups city police has decided to implement certain sections of the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act, 1977.
MBT leaders submitting memorandum to the DGP Dinesh Reddy
Hyderabad Commissioner of Police, Anurag Sharma said during a press conference that to prevent any ‘untoward situation’ restrictions will be imposed during Bakreid which is falling on 27th of this month.
He expressed his concern that animals in massive quantity is already being brought into the city from neighboring districts.
Over a week away, this Eid (feast) is more commonly known in India as Bakr-Eid, as goat is generally sacrificed on the day.
Eidul Azha is celebrated to honor the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) on God’s command, before He intervened to provide him with a sheep to sacrifice instead.
After a joint meeting with district officials and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) police commissioner said it has been decided to form joint teams to inspect the animals for regulating qurbani.
He made it clear that according to the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act (1977), cattle has to be examined by the veterinary doctor and a certificate have to be acquired for the slaughter.
Although the commissioner of police made it mandatory for every animal including the sheep, but his real target appears to be cow herds.
And head of city police this time was not making a feeble warning, as soon as the announcement were made special teams consisting of GHMC and police officials raided several narrow streets of old city and took away cattle just days before the Eid.
Special teams were committed enough to enter into the heart of old city like Yakutpura, Badabazar, Reinbazar to seize the cattle, as expected they faced resistance from the residents and owners which turned into a minor clash.
Under Section 5 of Andhra Pradesh Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act, cows and calves of cows and calves of she-buffaloes are protected from slaughter and under Section 6 of the Act, animals other than calf, female or male of a she-buffalo can be slaughtered under certificates issued by the competent authority.
Unlike cow slaughter prohibition acts in other states, AP act is lenient in nature as it permits slaughter of buffaloes, bulls and bullocks and other cattle’s which are unproductive after getting a certificate from a veterinary doctor or a competent authority.
Commissioner of police appealed to every community to not take law into their hands. In recent days many reported incidents of cattle transporters being stopped on the highways or near the city boundaries by right wing Hindu groups’ activists and beaten up, or often being looted of their valuables.
The most recent incident is of Hafeez Qureshi, who was forcefully stopped at Himayath Sagar Road while he was transporting cattle into the city. He was beaten up, and according to his complaint with the Langar Hauz police, mad mob looted 30,00 rupees he was carrying, and 13 animals were taken away making his loss run into lakhs.
Right wing groups are forming private ‘check posts’ on the border of cities and looting trucks carrying the cattle. Transporters are not even provided the opportunity of examinations by a veterinary doctor as prescribed by the Act.
City police is yet to form any ‘special team’ to check the menace of right wing hooliganism.
Muslim organizations and political parties have met several government officials and high police authorities to stop harassment of cattle traders ahead of the festival.
After the old city shutdown, MIM general secretary Ahmed Pasha Quadri warned of consequences against such biased decisions. Jamaitul Ulema leaders have also met city and district officials to press for the same.
Few days back MBT leaders met DGP Dinesh Reddy and Additional DGP S.A. Huda and demanded necessary steps to stop the persecution of cattle transporters by the police and right wing Hindu groups.