‘Will back law with reasonable curbs’
30 Oct 2015 4:28 AM IST
Amid raging controversy over the beef ban, J&K MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid, who was manhandled in the state Assembly and faced ink attack in the national Capital for throwing a beef party in Srinagar, has asserted that he would support a law that imposes ‘reasonable restrictions on cow slaughter but simultaneously upholds freedom for choice of food’ in the state. In an exclusive interview with Millennium Post correspondent Siddheshwar Shukla, Rashid shares his views on the beef row and his dream law.
Excerpts:
How do you see the entire beef controversy that has now spread from Jammu and Kashmir to Kerala?
India is a democratic country and every person has the right to eat the food of his choice – vegetarian or non-vegetarian. The controversy is entirely political and is being raked up deliberately by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre, with the help of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionaries. Many Hindus in the country are not bothered about beef consumption.
So, do you want to say that Hindus, in general, don’t have any sentiments attached to beef consumption?
No. I only mean majority of Hindus are not bothered on who is cooking what in his kitchen. I agree that Hindus worship cow and they have sentiments attached to the animal, but it is also true that Muslims and people of North-east states eat beef. I have turned vegetarian ever since I became an MLA in December 2014. Earlier, I used to eat beef once a week and other non-vegetarian delicacies at least three days a week. I want to ask who are Shakshi Maharaj or Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to instruct people what to eat and what not.
What’s the way out of the present controversy as many are demanding a blanket ban on cow slaughter, while beef-eaters want unfettered right to non- vegetarian food?
A cow should not be slaughtered near a temple. It should not be killed publicly as Hindus have sentiments attached to it. I, too, do not talk about killing a cow or beef-eating before my Hindu friends. I think one should not flaunt about eating cow meat publicly. I will render my full support if the government brings any such law in the J&K Assembly. Some people argue that cow meat is cheap source of protein for the poor.
There are around eight lakh Armymen, mostly Hindus, in Kashmir, and most of them are non-vegetarian. But they do not eat beef. The civilian non-vegetarian Hindus also don’t eat beef, so the cost of cow meat is around one third of mutton’s price. It must also be noted that beef costs much higher than vegetables.
A normal Muslim consumes beef once in 15 day,s but the rich eat it once a week or more. Muslims who pet cows slaughter male calves, infertile females and those cows who have outlived their utility.
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