7 days ago
UP BJP MLA seeks ban on animal slaughter, meat shops near Hindon Airport ahead of Bakrid
Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar Sunday wrote to the Ghaziabad police seeking a ban on animal slaughter, meat shops, and the operation of slaughterhouses near Hindon Airport in his constituency, Loni, on the occasion of Bakrid on June 7. Gurjar expressed concern about the potential threat of bird strikes to aircraft caused by open slaughter activities and highlighted issues regarding communal harmony in the area.
In the letter, accessed by The Indian Express, he cited a survey by former Loni Nagar Palika executive officer D K Rai and said Loni, which is close to the Hindon Airport, comes under 'aircraft ordinance'.
'Under the ordinance, the slaughter of animals, the operation of meat shops, slaughterhouses and the collection of bones is prohibited. Doing this comes under the category of treason,' he said in the letter to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari.
Gurjar also urged the Muslim community to celebrate Bakrid like they celebrated it last year in an 'eco-friendly' manner by cutting a cake in the shape of a goat.
'People of the Muslim community, by being a part of a progressive thought and also abiding by the rules of aircraft ordinance and for the benefit of Loni, celebrated an eco-friendly Eid and cut a cake in the shape of a bakra (goat), which was highly appreciated,' he said.
'In the past, a fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force had crashed in Loni. Apart from this, our party workers have been alerted that a large number of animals will be butchered in Loni. In that situation, some people can also kill cows to destroy the sensitive environment of Loni,' wrote the BJP MLA.
He said the killing of animals is prohibited under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. 'I have also appealed to the brothers from the Muslim community that they become followers of a progressive thought… My party workers will also guard this with the help of drones,' he said in his letter.
When contacted, DCP (Rural) Tiwari, however, denied receiving any letter from the MLA. 'We will look into this when we get it,' he told The Indian Express.
Neetika Jha is a trainee reporter with The Indian Express, Delhi. She covers crime, health, environment as well as stories of human interest, in Noida and Ghaziabad. When not on the field she is probably working on another story idea. On weekends, she loves to read fiction over a cup of coffee (cold coffee if it is summer). The Thursday Murder club and Yellow face were her recent favourites. She loves her garden as much as she loves her job. She is an alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. ... Read More
