Jammu and Kashmir government’s move to ban slaughter of cows, calves and camels on the occasion of forthcoming Eid-ul-Adha is likely to snowball into major controversy as Muslim religious organizations have started opposing the order saying it is not acceptable to them.
J&K Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Department issued an order calling for a ban on slaughter of cows, calves and camels on the occasion of forthcoming Eid-ul-Adha.
The Director Planning, J&K Animal, Sheep Husbandry G L Sharma through a letter addressed to divisional commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir regions, IGPs of both the regions to stop illegal killing of animals and to take stringent action against the offenders violating animal welfare laws.
The letter reads, “large numbers of sacrificial animals are likely to be slaughtered in the UT of J&K during the Bakra Eid festival scheduled from 21-23 July 2021 and the Animal Welfare Board of India, in view of animal welfare has requested for implementation of all precautionary measures to strictly implement the Animal Welfare Laws viz. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; Transport of Animal Welfare Rules, 1978; Transport of Animals (Amendment) Rules, 2001; Slaughter House Rules, 2001; Municipal Laws & Food Safety & Standards Authority of India directions for the slaughtering of animals (under which camels cannot be slaughtered) during the festival.”
The letter says: “I am directed to request you to take all preventive measures as per the provisions of acts & rules referred above for implementation of the animal welfare laws, to stop illegal killing of animals & to take stringent action against the offenders violating animal welfare laws.”
Reacting to the ban, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu and Kashmir, headed by Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, in a joint statement, expressed resentment against the government's ban on the sacrifice of bovine animals on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha.
The MMU said it was surprised that sacrifice of bovine animals on the religious occasion of Eid is being termed illegal and disallowed under the garb of prevention of cruelty to Animal Rights Act.
The MMU said slaughtering of animals is an important tenet of religion on Eid and duty upon persons on whom it is obligatory. "A Muslim indeed has to refrain from any kind of negligence in performing this act of worship. So why are Muslims being restricted by the Government in performing their religious obligation,” the statement said.
The statement said the government should desist from issuing such arbitrary orders that are unacceptable to the Muslims of J&K as they directly infringe upon their religious freedom and their personal law, causing them great anguish. “We urge the government to immediately revoke this arbitrary and discriminatory order and let the people of Kashmir celebrate Eid in keeping with its religious obligations and the spirit of the festival,” the statement added.
