Mumbai: Days after the state govt directed police to invoke the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against cattle smugglers and illegal slaughterhouses, mayor Ritu Tawde and some other BJP functionaries in the city asked BMC to issue a circular banning goat sacrifices in residential areas during Bakr Eid.Muslim community leaders cautioned that such a circular could give rise to law and order issues. Earlier this month, BMC had granted permission for religious animal slaughter at more than 100 designated locations in the city. The three-day festival begins on May 28. There has been no official response to the demand from BMC.Former MP and BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had a meeting with the mayor, civic standing committee chairman Prabhakar Shinde, BJP’s leader in BMC Ganesh Khankar and civic garden committee chairman Hetal Gala, following which each of the elected representatives sent a letter to BMC chief Ashwini Bhide demanding a blanket ban on the slaughter of goats in housing societies and chawls.BMC already has stringent rules in place for religious animal slaughter.Qureshi jamats and community leaders called the latest push by BJP functionaries to prevent slaughter at even housing complexes that give an NOC a “dog whistle”. “There has been a norm that housing societies give NOCs and sacrifice of goats is done with precautions like covering the place of slaughter. This attempt to prevent slaughter even at housing societies which have valid permission is infringing on citizens’ right to celebrate their festivals,” said Imran Babu Qureshi, national vice-president, All India Jamiatul Quresh.Asif Farooqui, Bandra resident and general secretary of Mumbai Congress, said were such a blanket ban to be enforced, it could allow anti-social elements to foment trouble. “BMC and police do not have the manpower to peep into every chawl and residential area to check whether animal sacrifice is happening there. How does it disturb outsiders if no society member objects to goat slaughter on the society premises? Miscreants may misuse such a circular.”In a letter addressed to additional municipal commissioner Vipin Sharma, Somaiya said the matter had also been discussed at a joint meeting at Mayor’s Hall on May 21, following which “civic authorities and political representatives had reiterated the need to ensure that animal sacrifice does not take place in residential premises”. Somaiya urged BMC to take the necessary action to ensure compliance, citing public health, hygiene and regulatory enforcement as key considerations.
