Maharashtra livestock commission asks animal markets to close during Bakri Eid week
Bakri Eid, also known as Eid-al-Adha, is a Muslim festival that commemorates the spirit of sacrifice. The festival entails the slaughtering of goats.
The Maharashtra Goseva Ayog issued a circular to Agriculture Produce Market Committees on May 27, stating that no livestock markets should be held in any district between June 3 and June 8 to ensure that no illegal slaughter of bovines takes place, the newspaper reported.
It asked the market committees to 'stay vigilant' in the matter, according to The Indian Express. The circular also cited the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act, which prohibits the slaughter of bovine animals.
Shekhar Mundada, the chairperson of the Maharashtra Goseva Ayog, said that the purpose of the circular was to minimise the possibility of cow slaughter.
'During the days preceding Eid, a lot of animal transactions – including for slaughter – are carried out with the intent of sacrificing the animals,' The Indian Express quoted Mundada as saying. 'We only want to stop this from occurring.'
The halt on the sale of other animals was only for one week, Mundada said, adding that the circular should only be seen as an advisory.
The circular, however, sparked a row, with many questioning the intent behind halting the sale of all animals, including lambs and sheep, one week before Bakri Eid.
Farooq Ahmad, state vice president of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, told the newspaper that the state needed to take steps to ensure that cow slaughter did not take place. 'But what is the intent behind shutting down the entire market?' he was quoted as saying.
He added that the trade of non-banned animals such as goats, buffaloes and sheep would also come to a halt if the markets were not operational. 'As a result, daily wage income for farmers, porters, brokers, drivers, the Qureshi-Khatik community and labourers will stop,' Ahmad added.
The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leader also said that the Maharashtra Goseva Ayog had the powers to only recommend
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