On the occasion of the Islamic festival of Bakri Eid, the Karnataka government has urged district authorities to keep a careful check on cow slaughter throughout the state, and a new law is being implemented ahead of Eid. The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cow Bill 2020 makes slaughtering any cattle, except buffaloes aged 13 and over, a serious offense punishable by up to seven years in prison.
According to the reports, Prabhu Chauhan, minister of animal husbandry, has advised the Muslim community to refrain from offering animals as a sacrifice. The ministry has issued a warning that anyone found sacrificing livestock during Bakri Eid this weekend will face the full force of the law. “Police and animal husbandry officials have been instructed to maintain strict vigil across the state to make sure the new law is strictly followed. A close watch will be maintained at borders (with neighboring states) to ensure cattle are not transported,” he stated.
The government has established a task force to carry out the new rule, which permits the killing of only buffaloes older than 13 years old that have been deemed suitable for human consumption and slaughter by officials in charge of animal husbandry. Reportedly, a campaign opposing the sacrifice of livestock during Bakri Eid has already been initiated by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. Their cadres have been instructed to monitor the movement of livestock to other southern states as well.
Muslims in Karnataka have also been warned that if they sacrifice livestock, they risk legal repercussions. According to Maulana Mohammed Maqsood Imran, the head imam of Bangalore’s Juma Masjid, all mosques and Muslim organisations have been instructed to inform the public about the need to rigorously adhere to the new anti-cattle killing rule.
“Sacrificing goats is the best option under the circumstances. So we have informed our community about the need to stick to the law and avoid any issues in the name of Bakri Eid sacrifice,” Maulana Mohammed Maqsood Imran was quoted. He pleaded with the state administration to prevent Sangh Parivar groups from enforcing the legislation in the name of vigilantism. Nobody has the authority to impose their own laws, and the government must make sure of that, he insisted.
Since the new regulation came into effect, a number of people have been detained for selling beef in the state. On July 1, a father and son were detained in Bantwal, Dakshina Kannada district, on suspicion of selling meat and slaughtering cows.
