Don’t hurt Hindu sentiments, says Syed Ali Shah Geelani

Srinagar: At a time when a diktat issued by various political and religious organisations asking the Muslims to defy a 120-year-old ban on cow slaughter and sale of beef in Jammu and Kashmir by sacrificing only bovine animals during coming Id-ul-Zuha to perform Qurbani has put the state government on tenterhooks, a reprieve has come from unexpected quarters.

Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the influential separatist leader, on Wednesday asked people not to indulge in any such act that may hurt the religious sentiments of other communities in the state. Qurbani or Udhiya is performed by Muslims during the Id-ul-Zuha or Bakar Eid to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham)’s sacrifice as mentioned in the Quran.

“Allah has declared the meat of bovine animals as halal (lawful) for us. Neither can anyone declare it a forbidden entity nor stop us from consuming it. But at a time when, on the eve of Id, we uphold the sunnah of Prophet Ibrahim, we must not indulge in any such activity that could hurt the religious sentiments of any community,” he said in a statement to local news agency KNS.

The octogenarian separatist leader made a passionate appeal to the Muslims of the state that while upholding the religious sanctity of the Id festival, they “must not undermine the aspirations and sentiments of other religious communities.” Expressing concern over the reports of simmering tensions between Hindus and Muslims in some parts of the state’s Jammu region following a division bench of the J&K high court recently issued instructions to the police authorities to strictly enforce the relevant provisions of Ranbir Penal Code which declare the slaughter of cow and other bovine animals a punishable offence, Mr Geelani alleged that some fanatic elements are hell bent to fan the communal fires in Jammu and Kashmir.

“We appeal to Hindu brothers not to fall prey to the criminal agenda of RSS and at all costs should not allow anyone to cause any religious divide,” he said asserting Muslims do not sacrifice bovine animals in vengeance to any community.

“If any entity is permissible in Hindu religion, we cannot declare it a forbidden one. In a similar manner, rendering sacrifices of animals is a religious obligation for the Muslims,” he said. He also said, “Our fight is a fight between the oppressor and the oppressed. There are some elements, which are giving it the communal colour so that the attention from the real issue is diverted. We must keep a close vigil over such nefarious plans and should not indulge in any act that could give the ongoing resistance movement a communal colour.”

Mr Geelani appealed the “freedom loving people of the state” not to hurt the sentiments of any religious community.