Butchers under fear in MP after govt invokes NSA in cow slaughter case

Khandwa/ Bhopal:

Although the government in Madhya Pradesh has changed in the last three months, yet fear is palpable in Imalipur butchers market. Even the 28 shops owners who have the licence to slaughter cattle are now reeling under police fear.

Just three days ago, the Madhya Pradesh police had slapped the National Security Act (NSA) against three persons accused of cow slaughter in the communally-sensitive Khandwa region.

The local butcher community, that suspects the police action was politically motivated, is seeking a fair probe into the issue. They allege that the cops are trying to trap innocents in the case just to show their love for the holy cow and get promotions.

On February 5, three persons were booked under the state’s anti-cow slaughter law and a few hours later NSA was invoked to maintain peace in the area.

According to district SP Siddharth Bahuguna, Raju alias Nadeem and Shakeel from Kharkali village were arrested early on Friday while Azam, the third accused who had managed to escape, was nabbed on Monday. 

The police action

Moghat police station in-charge Mohan Singore says they got a tip-off about cow slaughter in Kharkhali village at midnight. “We recovered the carcass of a heifer from the spot and caught Nadeem and Shakeel who were trying to escape. The police has booked the accused under Sections 4, 6, 9 of the Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act,” he said.

Cops said that Nadeem is a habitual offender and had been booked previously also under the cow slaughter legislation.

What the butchers say

Altaf Qureshi, who belongs to the butchers' community of Imalipur, says all the 28 licensed meat shops in the locality are following the norms of local bodies during the slaughter process.

“We are against cow slaughter and strictly follow the rules and regulations. If you observe the action of the police, there are many loopholes. Police wrote in its FIR that the accused fled from the spot after the police raid,” Qureshi said. He suspects foul play.

"I spoke to the family members who said the accused were sleeping at their homes when the incident happened,” the butcher said.

Qureshi also suspects that cops are taking revenge from the Qureshi community. He says, "Three days before the police action, an inspector rank officer came to our market and started checking our licences. While some shopkeepers co-operated, others argued with him about the right of the police to check such licences. The inspector then warned the butchers' community of dire consequences."

Having sided with the Congress in the last Lok Sabha election, he hopes that the party, now in power in the state, will listen to them.

“We have approached senior police officers, the home minister and chief minister Kamal Nath with our problems. We are following the norms set by the law while slaughtering cattle. We never touch cows. We want to do our business peacefully.”

On the condition of anonymity, a shopkeeper told us that besides the licensed ones, few other small vendors used to set up temporary shops in the market. Besides checking, the police has also set up a CCTV camera in front of the market to keep an eye on cow slaughters.

“However, from the last few days cops have started to threaten us,” the shopkeeper said.

Khandwa is infamous for cow slaughter

Dr. Muneesh Mishra, district congress president of Khandwa, has praised the police saying action against cow slaughters are the need of the hour.

“Khandwa is infamous for cow slaughters and they always trick the cops. Butchers have changed their modus operandi after vigilance by police and locals. Earlier, they used to transport cows alive in trucks after buying them from villages but now they are slaughtering cows in the village and then bringing in the flesh,” the Congress leader said.

Veteran journalist LS Hardeniya said both BJP and Congress could be competing with each other for Hindutva. “In my opinion, the action of cops is unfair, excessive and unwarranted,” he said.

The Congress’ way of protecting the cow

Home Minister Bala Bachchan is hoping of more such police action in the future. Talking about their plans to protect the cow, he said, "We are following our 'Vachan Patra' (election manifesto) about protection of cows. We are committed towards our promises and it is reflecting in our action. If anyone will indulge in killing cows, we will take the same action against them again and again. Police will continue their action against cow slaughter in the future."

The Kamal Nath government has also initiated a plan of building cow shelter in every village. “Unlike other governments who only talk about saving cows, our government is protecting the cow in its real meaning."

What the Congress had promised in its election manifesto:

- Congress will establish a Gaushala (cow shelter) in every Panchayat and cow sanctuaries at certain places.

-  The maintenance of these sanctuaries and cow shelters will be funded by the government. The government will also promote the production of gaumutra, cow dung and dung cake on a commercial scale.

- There will be a shelter and medical facility on main roads for treatment of injured cows. The government will also make necessary arrangements for the last rituals of dead cows.