COW SMUGGLERS MOSTLY TARGET BULLS: DATA
The share of cows in the illegal cattle trade from India to Bangladesh has been an average 12% over the past three years, shows an HT analysis of official data on livestock seized along the international border. Focus on cow smuggling and consumption of cattle meat has risen since the BJP won power in 2014, but the issue returned to spotlight after the new Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath clamped down on illegal slaughter houses and cattle smuggling this week.
The BJP’s ideological parent, the RSS, considers cows sacred and has long pushed for a nationwide ban on their slaughter and trade. But data accessed by HT indicated that the situation was probably far from alarming.
Between January 2014 and December 2016, the number of cattle seized varied between 1.5 lakh to 1.75 lakh every year. And the seizure of cows is consistent between 11.7% and 11.9% in all three years.
Locals in Rehmat Nagar, Jafra Bazar and Himayunpur and Buxipur localities pooled money through which ration packets were arranged and distributed among over 200 people pushed on the brink of starvation due to the crackdown on buffalo meat shops in the city.
These people were employed at around 60 buffalo meats which were shut down after illegal slaughterhouses were banned across the state on March 19—the day the Aditya Nath Yogi government took over. The hapless people used to earn 250- 300 per day before the ban came into effect.
“I had three employees who assisted me in my business. Now, they have been left with no source of livelihood and like them 200 butchers are on the verge of starvation,” said Abdullah Quraishi, a butcher who ran his shop in Rahmat Nagar.
“We have never faced such a crisis in our lives. This is the fourth day since we are sitting idle. It is good that people have extended help to us but for how long it will last. The government should do something to help us out otherwise our children will die out of starvation,” said 70-year-old Abrar Quraishi, one such employee.
BUTCHERS PLAN TO MEET CM
The butchers, who are facing livelihood crisis due to closures of buffalo meat shops and slaughterhouses, have decided to take up their issues with CM Aditya Nath Yogi during his two-day visit to Gorakhpur starting Saturday.
“We will make a humble request to him to solve our problem,” said Babloo Quraushi, a butcher who owned three red meat shops at Rahmat Nagar.
He claimed around 100 butchers from Rahmat Nagar, Buxipur, Jafra Bazar and other localities will reach the Gorakhnath temple to meet Yogi.
OWNERS OF SEALED MEAT, POULTRY FODDER UNITS TO MOVE COURT
Owners of sealed meat and poultry fodder processing units have decided to move court against the action of district administration and the development authority.
On Thursday, their lawyer submitted a written objection with the district magistrate’s office. After waiting for the reply till Sunday, the owners will move their writ in Allahabad high court.
Officials of different departments had raided and sealed eight meat and poultry fodder processing units in Kharkhauda area of the district on Wednesday.
Three units belonged to brothers and son-in-law of BSP leader Shahid Akhlaq who protested against the raids and questioned the state government’s vision for ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’.