Ajit Pawar asks Maharashtra police to curb vigilantes from checking livestock vehicles
Pawar's instruction followed a meeting between him and a delegation of the Qureshi community Wednesday, where state Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla and Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, among other officials, were present.
'The Qureshi community is traditionally associated with the meat trade and is a part of Maharashtra's agriculture-based economy. Therefore, no injustice will be allowed to be done to the traders of this community and the farmers who transport animals,' Pawar said at the meeting as per an official statement from the Deputy CM's office.
In a memorandum of demands submitted to Pawar, the Qureshi community delegation demanded a ban on illegal gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes), protection for transporting legally allowed animals, withdrawal of false cases, and a reduction in restrictions on transport licences.
The delegation, while raising the issue of 'harassment' of animal traders by illegal gau rakshaks, in a letter to Pawar, said, 'The violent acts against the traders from Qureshi community and farmers who transport legally allowed animals has led to many losing their lives. The community is forced to call for a strike… This will affect the farmers as well due to unavailability of buyers. Following the 2015 ban on cow slaughter, the transport is already limited. Now, the ongoing actions will affect the legal transport of animals such as buffaloes as well.'
The delegation's demand was to 'not allow private individuals to check vehicles', said NCP MLA Sana Shaikh, who was present at the meeting. Along with her, NCP MLC Sanjay Khodke said a number of 'anti-social elements' have started harassing genuine animal transporters. 'As per the law, only police should inspect the vehicles. Despite this clarity, the menace is growing and it needs to be tackled,' Khodke said.
According to sources present in the Wednesday meeting, Pawar directed DGP Shukla to issue a circular across all districts. 'The circular will ask police authorities to ensure that no private individual will have any right to check the vehicles transporting animals,' said an official present at the meeting.
Despite attempts to contact DGP Shukla, she was not available for comment.
During the meeting, sources said, Pawar spoke to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari over the phone and informed him about the difficulties faced while transporting animals. He requested Gadkari to discuss the issue with the Qureshi delegation and take a decision on changes in the law related to the transportation of animals.
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