NEW DELHI: “Cow slaughter will also be done,” AJUP chief and West Bengal MLA
Humayun Kabir said, triggering a fresh political controversy as he asserted that the Quran mandates qurbani and insisted that ritual sacrifice of animals would continue despite the state government’s recent restrictions on animal slaughter ahead of Eid.
Stating that ritual sacrifice “will happen at any cost”, Kabir accused the administration of interfering in religious practices.
His remarks drew sharp reactions from the BJP, which maintained that the issue was about enforcing the law and preventing illegal cow slaughter, rather than targeting any community.
“We respect the law. But qurbani will happen. Whatever is written in the Quran will happen. I want to tell Suvendu Adhikari directly not to play with fire. It may prove dangerous for you. The Muslim community will not compromise on qurbani,” Kabir said on Thursday.
The AJUP chief openly challenged the West Bengal government’s recent public notice issued under the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950.
“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.
Calling it a centuries-old tradition, Kabir added, “It's a tradition that has been going on for 1400 years and will continue as long as the world exists.”
“The sacrifice of cows, goats and camels will continue,” Kabir added.
Kabir also expressed resentment over restrictions on offering prayers on roads and demanded adequate spaces for Eid congregations. “If arrangements are not made, then pujas on roads should not be allowed either,” he added.
BJP defends slaughter regulations
Reacting to Kabir’s remarks, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya said the issue was about enforcing the law and preventing illegal activities.
“Illegal slaughterhouses will not be allowed to operate,” Bhattacharya said, according to news agency PTI. He added that the BJP does not interfere with individual food preferences but opposes public slaughter of cows.
West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh claimed that “cow slaughter is not associated with any religion”.
“There are no cows where Islam originates from. Cow slaughter used to be done here to cause pain to the Hindu community", he added.
As per news agency ANI, BJP Telangana president N Ramchander Rao also backed stricter implementation of anti-cow slaughter laws in West Bengal and accused some people of trying to create communal divisions through the issue.
“Some people, who are trying to create a rift between the two communities by provoking, purposefully take cows for slaughtering. Some people like Humayun Kabir in Bengal try to make this an issue. Suvendu Adhikari trying to stop cow slaughter is a welcome step. Other states should follow it”, he said.
Debate over cow slaughter intensifies
Earlier, Furfura Sharif Pirzada Toha Siddiqui questioned what he described as “double standards” on beef-related policies, asking why exports were permitted while restrictions were imposed domestically.
"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 questioned.
"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 further said.
At the same time, former Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case plaintiff Iqbal Ansari urged Muslims to respect cows and called for the animal to be declared India’s national animal.
“The cow should not be sacrificed (kurbaani) at all. It is worshipped in Hinduism,” Ansari said, as quoted by ANI.
"We are Indian Muslims, and the cow is called 'Gaumata', and Muslims should respect cows. The government should declare it the national animal," Ansari added.
High Court refuses to stay Bengal order
The controversy comes after the Calcutta High Court on Thursday refused to stay the West Bengal government’s order reiterating a ban on slaughter of cattle or buffaloes without a mandatory fitness certificate ahead of Eid-ul-Zuha.
The court observed that “the sacrifice of a cow is no part of the festival of Id-Uz-Zuha and is not a religious requirement under Islam”, citing earlier Supreme Court observations.
The state government’s May 13 notification stated that animal slaughter in open public places would be strictly prohibited and allowed only at authorised facilities.
Violations under the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950, could attract up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine of Rs 1,000, or both.
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