Mumbai: An ‘advisory’ from the Maharashtra Gauseva Ayog, a commission for welfare of cows and their progeny, to Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) across the state to not hold livestock markets between June 3 and 8 has caused concern among animal traders, farmers and the Muslim community. They said the May 27 directive, just ahead of Bakri Eid on June 7, will disrupt sale and purchase of animals permitted for slaughter.There are 292 livestock markets in the state regulated by 305 principal and 603 secondary APMCs. Muslims, including Qureshis who are engaged in animal trading, have criticised the circular, but Maharashtra Gauseva Ayog’s chairman Shekhar Mundada clarified that this is only an advisory. “This is not an order, but an advisory. It has been seen in the past that even cows and their progeny, whose slaughter is banned through the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act (1995), were affected. The advisory was issued to stop the sale and slaughter of cows and their progeny during Bakrid,” Mundada told TOI on Sunday.“The commission should clarify that the directive is only against the sale of cows and their progeny because a pause in village markets will deprive farmers, traders, and buyers to transact for the crucial days ahead of Bakri Eid,” said Imran Babu Qureshi, national vice-president of All India Jamiatul Quresh, a century-old organisation of the Qureshis.National general secretary of the organisation Gulrez Qureshi said this ‘advisory’ may encourage gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes) to step up harassment of traders transporting animals to be sold for Bakri Eid. “Transportation of even buffaloes, goats, and sheep, which is permitted for slaughter, may be hit as gau rakshaks may use the directive as a licence to target the traders and transporters,” said Gulrez, who plans to take a delegation to the animal husbandry minister. Mohammed Arif Choudhary, Maharashtra president of the All India Jamiatul Quresh, has already written to the Gauseva Ayog and the commissioner of animal husbandry department, flagging off the misuse of the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act. tnn
