A fresh political and religious debate has erupted in West Bengal over cow sacrifice and beef consumption after Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chief Humayun Kabir openly challenged the state government’s recent advisory issued under the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Kabir asserted that ritual sacrifice, or qurbani, would continue irrespective of objections or restrictions.
“The government can make a rule asking Muslims not to eat beef, but ritual sacrifice (qurbani) will continue. We won’t listen to any objections,” he said.
The AJUP leader further described qurbani as a long-standing religious tradition deeply rooted in Islamic practices.
“It’s a tradition that has been going on for 1400 years and will continue as long as the world exists,” Kabir added.
Backing the argument for a uniform legal framework, Furfura Sharif Pirzada Toha Siddiqui questioned what he called inconsistencies in beef-related policies across the country.
“What the law says needs to be followed. But the law should be the same for everyone. No cow slaughter? Okay, we will accept that. But in India, beef is at number two [referring to exports]. A common man offers a sacrifice, that’s not allowed. And slaughtering the cows of the country and sending them abroad is permissible? Is that okay?” Siddiqui told ANI.
He also argued that regulations concerning beef and cattle slaughter should not differ from one state to another.
“What is the law? Look at every place and other states in India, beef is sold there. So what is it? It’s allowed there, but not here? The law should be one for India,” he said.
However, not all voices within the Muslim community echoed the same stand.
Former plaintiff in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case, Iqbal Ansari, urged Muslims to avoid cow sacrifice and respect Hindu religious sentiments. He also backed the proposal of declaring the cow a national animal.
“We are Indian Muslims, and the cow is called ‘Gaumata’, and Muslims should respect cows. The government should declare it the national animal,” Ansari said while speaking to ANI on Thursday.
Ansari maintained that cow slaughter should be stopped completely and claimed that such incidents are often exploited to create communal tensions.
“The cow should not be sacrificed (kurbaani) at all. It is worshipped in Hinduism. People should respect the cow. If Hindus respect it, then cow sacrifice should not be allowed at all,” he added.
The former plaintiff also linked the issue to health and religious beliefs, saying Islam does not encourage beef consumption.
“Cow milk is beneficial and medicinal. Eating cow meat is forbidden. Our religion, Islam, already prohibits this. However, some people do all this to defame Muslims in our country. They should respect cows and honour them,” Ansari stated.
Earlier, Maulana Mohammad Shafiq Qasmi, Imam of Kolkata’s Nakhoda Masjid, had similarly appealed to Muslims to refrain from cow sacrifice and beef consumption in the interest of communal harmony. He too supported granting the cow the status of “national animal”.