On June 27, a controversy erupted in the capital city of Maharashtra concerning a Muslim family living in a Mira Road society in Mumbai. The family had purchased two goats one day prior to Bakrid (Bakra-eid, Eid-Ul-Adha), however, the residents of Mira road housing society protested and stated that they would not allow any slaughter of animals (the goats) to take place within the society.
Residents of the society on Mira Road protested against the slaughter of goats on Bakrid within their premises. They also chanted Hanuman Chalisa, and some individuals raised slogans of “Jai Shree Ram”. Videos of the incident have since gone viral in the media. After the residents protested, the police assured that no slaughter would take place inside the housing society and the Muslim couple also said the same.
Reacting to the controversy, Islamists and leftists were outraged about residents not wanting the Muslim family to slaughter goats inside the housing society and called it ‘uncivilised’ opposition.
Fake news peddler Meer Faisal shared the report but did not mention that the society already had a rule in place that slaughter would not be allowed at houses. He wrote, “Hundreds of JP Infra Housing Society members clashed with police while chanting “Jai Shri Ram” at Mira Road, Mumbai, over a Muslim resident named Mohsin Sheikh bringing home a lamb for Eid-ul-Adha.”
Hundreds of JP Infra Housing Society members clashed with police while chanting "Jai Shri Ram" at Mira Road, Mumbai, over a Muslim resident named Mohsin Sheikh bringing home a lamb for Eid-ul-Adha. #Islamophobia pic.twitter.com/wOU63GtJbC
— Meer Faisal (@meerfaisal01) June 28, 2023
Quoting him, propaganda specialist RJ Sayema questioned if “everyone has lost it”. She added if such opposition was sign of a civilised society and claimed the world would be laughing at India. She said, “What? Has everyone lost it? Are these signs of a civilised society? The world would be laughing at us! Intolerance bordering on insanity!”
What? Has everyone lost it? Are these signs of a civilised society? The world would be laughing at us! Intolerance bordering on insanity! https://t.co/8VcmFE6UM9
— Sayema (@_sayema) June 28, 2023
Journalist Ansar Imran, who writes for portals like Lallanpost and The Report, said, “This is the civilised society where mutton chap can be eaten, but a goat cannot be kept at home for sacrifice.”
यही तो है सभ्य समाज जहां पर मटन चांप के खाया जा सकता है मगर कुर्बानी के लिए बकरे को नहीं अपने घर पर रखा जा सकता है https://t.co/uQFoOK7dcD
— Ansar Imran SR (@ansarimransr) June 28, 2023
Another propaganda and fake news paddler, journalist Sadaf Afreen, called residents opposing slaughter inside the house ‘mad’. She wrote, “The crowd has gone mad. It has lost its temple. This is the gift of the government. Hatred towards other’s religion, stopping others from celebrating their festival, that’s all that remains! If ‘mob terror’ is not stopped, then this mob will destroy the country!”
भीड़ पगला गई है, अपना आपा खो बैठी है!
— Sadaf Afreen صدف (@s_afreen7) June 28, 2023
और ये सब सरकार की देन है!
दूसरे के धर्म के प्रति नफरत, दूसरो को उनका त्योहार मनाने से रोकना, बस यही रह गया है!
अगर भीड़ की आतंक" को रोका नहीं गया न तो ये भीड़ देश को बर्बाद कर देगी! https://t.co/ppCRR5PvDV
Journalist Alishan Jafri who writes for portals like The Wire, The Quint, BBC Hindi, Article 14 and others, called the residents ‘vego-facists’ and claimed they “terrorise and often kill meat-eating Muslims, Dalits and tribals”.
These vego-fascists fear omelettes but don't hesitate even for a moment to terrorise and often kill meat eating Muslims, Dalits, and tribals. https://t.co/tnilxebZKE
— Alishan Jafri (@alishan_jafri) June 28, 2023
NCP leader Saleem Sarang wrote, “The kind of atmosphere that is being created in Maharashtra is very wrong and going to destroy the future. How saying Jai Shri Ram and beating anyone be legal? This type of mentality is increasing. This will turn the whole society against each other. Is this what government wants to do?”
महाराष्ट्र में जिस तरह का माहौल बन रहा हैं, ये बहुत ही ग़लत और भविष्य को बरबाद करनेवाला हैं | जय श्री राम बोलके किसी को भी मारो, पिटो, तो वो कानूनन सही हो जाता हैं? इस तरह की मानसिकता बढ़ने लगी हैं| इससे तो पुरा समाज एक-दूसरे के खिलाफ़ हो जाएगा.. क्या सरकार यहीं करना चाहती हैं?… https://t.co/rU052RvGZX
— Saleem Sarang (@Sarangsspeaks) June 28, 2023
As these people who called out residents for opposing goat slaughter inside Mira Road housing society premises are journalists and political leaders, they are expected to be well-versed with the law and regulations. However, to satisfy their agenda, they decided to summarily ignore it.
Twitter user BefittingFacts shared a BMC circular that prohibited the slaughtering of animals inside societies without NOC of the society and receipt of the number of animals to be sacrificed from the Deonar Slaughterhouse. As per the circular, every citizen who wants to perform a sacrifice on Eid has to register on the My BMC app. The animals must be bought from Deonar slaughterhouse only. Furthermore, 119 places were marked for slaughter for June 28 to June 30 by the municipal corporation. BMC also issued a phone number, 9930501293, to register complaints against the illegal slaughter of animals.
BMC has given clear instruction that place of slaughter should be registered and in case of society, NOC of the society is needed. pic.twitter.com/JZsVCiPcjW
— Facts (@BefittingFacts) June 28, 2023
Apart from that, it must be noted that a Bombay High Court order in place from 2019 prohibits the slaughtering of animals inside societies.
In fact, in June 2023 the Bombay High Court had directed the State to make provisions for and allow e-complaints against illegal slaughter during Bakrid.
“…we direct that the Municipal Corporation should also make the Grievance Forum available to complainants/citizens by way of an email. The policy, email address and toll-free numbers also shall be prominently displayed on the website of the Municipal Corporation, at least for the concerned period”, the court said in its order dated June 8th. The court had also directed to ensure that a toll-free number is available to ensure that complaints regarding illegal slaughters are lodged.
Furthermore, as per the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001, Section 3(1), no person shall slaughter any animal within a municipal area except in a slaughterhouse recognised or licensed by the concerned authority empowered under the law for the time being in force to do so.
Interestingly, another argument was put forth to defend the Muslim family who brought the goats allegedly to slaughter inside the housing society premises. RJ Sayema, who often peddles Islamist agenda, asked if there was a law that prevented the Muslim family from keeping a goat in their apartment, because per her, there is no proof that they were going to slaughter the animals.
Where’s the proof that they were slaughtering it within the vicinity?
— Sayema (@_sayema) June 28, 2023
Mostly, they get the animal that they buy and on Eid day, they take it to the slaughter house. And which law says that I can’t keep a goat inside my house? https://t.co/JJsuJUoxTd
The Maharashtra Co-operative Housing Society Bye Laws”, Section 50 (a) clearly states that no resident may do anything that would cause inconvenience to residents of a housing society. This act of the Muslim couple clearly did and is therefore against the law.
One can keep any animal in their house provided their own the property and the land that the property is built on, however, in a housing society, every resident is subject to scrutiny depending on what the members of the society find inconvenient and causing nuisance.
For the Leftists and Islamists, it would appear that India would be considered ‘secular’, ‘tolerant’ and civilised only if people normalise bloodshed in homes, that of Kafirs and animals alike, as a part of religious practice and never protest against the imposition of brutality in the name of religious freedom. India would also be a tolerant nation if illegal activity is acceptable in the name of religious practices simply because one section of the society is perennially victimised by ‘uncivilised barbarians’ opposing illegal activity and wonton bloodshed of animals in private spaces, houses and societies.
