A hoarding put up by Animal rights organisation – PETA with a photograph of a goat, urging people not to slaughter it, was removed in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh after Islamic clerics objected to such hoardings.
According to the reports, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal (PETA) had put up a hoarding in Qaiserbagh, which displayed a huge picture of a goat and read – “Mai Jeev Hoon, Maans Nahi. Hamare Prati Nazariya Badlen, Vegan Bane” (I am a living being and not just meat. Change your view towards us and become a vegan).
As posters were put up by PETA across other parts of the city, Islamic clerics in the city claimed that such posters hurt their religious sentiments.
Islamic clerics outrage over PETA’s hoardings, files complaint
Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, President of the Islamic Centre of India, had even complained to the Lucknow Police Commissioner demanding the removal of PETA’s hoarding. The Maulana objected to the hoarding by placing a photo of the goat before the festival of Bakrid.
“Bakrid is expected to be celebrated on July 31. Why such hoarding is being put up just ahead of the festival?” the cleric queried. “It seems that these hoardings were deliberately put up in a mischievous attempt to hurt Muslim sentiments,” he added.
Shockingly, two complaints were also registered with the Kaiserbagh police demanding the removal
A letter was also sent by the director of Centre for Objective Research and Development (CORD) Athar Husain.
“Muslims observe ‘qurbani’ (sacrifice) on the festival. The hoarding is sending out a wrong message, it is objectionable. The community strongly objects to it, “Husain added.
Few other Islamic clerics had also objected to the hoardings, saying they have been put up to “spoil the law and order situation in the state capital ahead of the festival of Eid-Ul-Azha.”
Following the outrage, the PETA hoardings put up in Lucknow have been removed.