On Sunday (15th October), local Hindu organizations raised an objection over the alleged illegal slaughterhouse being constructed in the Daund region of Maharashtra’s Pune district. The local Hindu members said that creating a slaughterhouse in the Daund region is unnecessary and that the state authorizing its construction has hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus, Jain, Sikh, and Varkari Sampradaya communities.
As per the information obtained by OpIndia, the permission for the slaughterhouse in question was obtained by BJP MLA Rahul Kul. The Hindu community members met state BJP chief Chandrashekar Bavankule on October 15 and demanded the revocation of permission granted for the construction of the slaughterhouse.
“This slaughterhouse is being constructed for the benefit of one specific community and the government granting permission to the same has hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus. It is said that the slaughterhouse is being created to slaughter the buffaloes but there have been many instances in the past where illegal slaughter of cows has taken place Daund. FIRs have also been filed in several such cases,” the letter read.
The letter further highlighted the illegality of the slaughterhouse saying that one government-approved slaughterhouse was already functioning in Pune’s Baramati region which is at a distance of 40 km from Daund, and that no new slaughterhouse should be allowed in such proximity.
“Apart from this,” the letter said, “no permission of local residents has been taken, they haven’t been even told about this. The health perspective of the local residents has also been ignored. This is condemnable. The slaughterhouse should not be given permission.”
OpIndia contacted Daund VHP chief Ganesh Akhade who confirmed the matter and said that many people from a specific community in Daund region illegally smuggle cows, slaughter cows, and insult the Hindu religion. “In the past, there have been several cases where many were caught red-handed by our gurakshaks while the former were smuggling, slaughtering the cows. This new govt-approved slaughterhouse is not needed here as there are many private slaughterhouses already functioning in the region. They illegally slaughter cows and there have been many such instances in the past,” he reiterated.
Meanwhile, Upendra Balkavade, Pune district head of the Akhil Bharatiya Krushi Goseva Sangh said that BJP’s Rahul Kul has garnered permission for the construction of the slaughterhouse and the government has also approved funds for the same. “This is unnecessary as one govt-approved slaughterhouse is only at the distance of 42 km from here. They say that the slaughterhouse is being constructed to slaughter buffaloes but people from specific communities for whose benefit this slaughterhouse is being constructed can practice illegal slaughter of cows as they do at present in the private slaughterhouses. This should stop,” he pressed.
Cow protection has been painted as a ‘communal’ issue where Gorakshaks are depicted as rogue groups that attack ‘innocent’ Muslims transporting cows to slaughterhouses. Cattle are a source of livelihood for millions in rural India and are loved as their family members. Cows, especially, are also considered holy by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs alike, and slaughtering them is considered to be a sin.
The government has imposed a ban on cow slaughter as per the Animal Welfare Act. In spite of this, numerous cows, bullocks, cattle, and other animals are smuggled across Telangana state at night in both large and small vehicles from the state of Maharashtra.
Earlier, on Tuesday (10th October) Gorakshaks in Pune saved two cows from the clutches of cow smugglers who were taking the cows to a slaughterhouse in Pune. Iqbal Alam and other two smugglers were arrested in this case based on the complaint filed by Gorakshak Upendra Balkavde. In another incident in the Pune district, cow meat was seized from a car in Manchar on 9th October.
