BAN THE BEEF

akhlaq ahan

Remember the second week of May 1857, a group of Brahmins from Meerut, among the first to reach the Red Fort shouting 'Deen' 'Deen' (Arabic word for religion) and seeking the attention of the Last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar to come forward for help to save the religion from the insensitive and atrocious British onslaught on their religion. The seething anger and enrage both among the followers of Sanatan religion and Muslims, was following the 'rumor' of beef-pork fat steeped cartridges forced upon the 'native' soldiers.

This apparently a sudden outburst, was in fact an outcome of many socio-political and economic reasons, and among these, the socio-religious reforms like Sati, child marriage etc supported by British government vis a vis state supported conversions were seen by many traditionalists or conservatives as the direct attack on their religion, was one of the potent reasons of the discontent among Indians. Such voices were raised time and again, and especially the issue of state-supported conversion was also documented in a Persian newspaper Agra Akhbar; maintained by Zamindars of both the communities of North India. However, today many of these reforms and reformers are hailed high, as the society has grown-up and even the most conservatives may be appreciating it. Nonetheless, considering the fact that even today, majority of Indian population contains either illiterates, just literates or degree-holder ignorants; besides, baring a tiny population of less than a percent, remaining is believer having and practising variety of religions and religious practices and emotionally attached to their respective faiths and beliefs. For such a socio-cultural scenario, to a certain extent pre-colonial arrangements of being compassionate and considerate to religious sensitivities, may be a more sane way of maintaining peace and harmony in the society; instead of assuming to implement the western liberal values, for which the poverty-illiteracy stricken Indian society may not be ready to comprehend, until we may realize education to all and intellectual enlightenment to a sizeable number of population.

It was therefore, the Colonial masters who first faced the brunt of their being insensitive to 'beef-pork' sensitive population, viciously began to use it as tool of 'divide and rule' and thus first time in history only during later part of the nineteenth century, 'save cows' voices were postured against Muslims, though still no any movement by Muslims to oppose it is recorded. The 'save cow' agenda was also voiced by many mainstream leaders like Gandhi, Vinobha Bhave etc and supported by others like Maulana Azad, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan probably considering the sensitivities of a large part of common masses and also to defuse the design of it being used by the divisive forces. Maulana Azad responding to the issue had stated in a meeting of Jamiat e Ulama e Hind, a representative body of Indian Muslim Ulama that whether the government was going to make law to ban it or not, or people were demanding for it or not, Muslims must themselves shun the practice; and there has been no dissenting view to this among the clerics, rather they and other similar groups and individual still support the same view. Even a Muslim majority state like Kashmir has ban on the beef since Dogra Ruler's days, and probably even in the most 'insane' period, this never became an issue. Unfortunately, in the post-partition scenario, again this has been misused time and again to linger on and breed the anger of ignorance, primarily to fetch vested interests. In such situation, the argument of right of food and personal choice may however be appearing progressive and enlightened, but would not be convincing to the people who hold cow as mother deity. It is therefore, the decision to implement the ban lies in the government's court, as demand of banning it has even been lauded from the other side too. Let the government decide to impose a complete ban on cow slaughter and beef besides its import, export, selling, buying, eating and serving; and let it be clear to all that:

1. Supposing that the sentiments of a large number of people in India is not hurt, is a fallacy,

2. Assuming that it is a religious practice in Islam; or Muslims would oppose the ban is equally fallacious.

3. The people of the country confronting fundamental issues of their survival i.e. Food, education, health etc than getting into such issues.

4. A menu should not be made a reason to breed hatred among people.

Though, we still wonder whether our government is indeed sincere to enforce the ban …???!!!