With the bill banning the cow slaughter in Maharashtra, the All India Milli Council, a Muslim organisation on Thursday came with a proposal to encourage slaughter of ‘Jersey cows’ instead of slaughter of ‘Indian cows and bulls’ to help those rendered unemployed.
“Jersey cows are hump-less cows that are light-weight and considered more fine-boned. The move is an attempt to save the “Indian progeny of cow”, Council officials said.
“The cow progeny of foreign origin, such as the Jersey Cow, should be made available for slaughter. This will ensure the preservation of the Indian cow progeny. It will also protect the faith of the Hindus, which we respect,” said M A Khalid, general secretary of All India Milli Council at a press conference held at the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh hall on Thursday.
A group of experts who were there at the press conference also put forward foreign methods of breeding that would enhance the number of the cows of the Indian progeny.
“The breeding should be carried out separately for the animals used for consumption and the ones used for dairy,” Khalid said, adding that the government should formulate effective rehabilitation policies for animals, the way it is done in foreign countries.
Mohammed Ali Qureshi, president of Mumbai Beef dealers Association, furthered, “In 1952, the Qureshis first stopped cow slaughter at the Bandra slaughter house out of respect for Hindu sentiments, even before the law on the ban on cow slaughter was passed in 1976. Definitely it was stopped due to religious reasons.”
The All India Milli Council also hinted at issues like the 1, 00,000 slaughter house workers who are at present rendered without a job, the condition of farmers who are unable to sell their old cows or bulls, and the economically backward people who cannot afford meat or mutton.