World

Indian leader warns of unrest over Modi govt's 'Quran discourages eating beef' claim

Gujrat govt erects billboards with an alleged Quranic verse saying eating beef causes disease

Afp September 09, 2015

PHOTO: AFP

AHMEDABAD: A Muslim leader in India warned on Wednesday of communal unrest after a state government claimed the Holy Quran discourages eating beef, the latest contentious effort to protect cows in the Hindu-majority country.

The government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat has erected billboards with an alleged Quranic verse saying eating beef causes disease, together with an Islamic symbol of a crescent moon and star.

Hardline Hindu groups have long pushed for a national ban on the slaughter of cows which they consider sacred.

But moves to protect cows have intensified since Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power after general elections last May.

Read: Muslims to move Bombay court to relax beef ban for Eidul Azha

Several states have introduced a ban on slaughtering the animals and selling their flesh, a move that critics say discriminates against Muslims and other religious minorities who rely on the cheap meat for protein.

Shabbir Alam from the main mosque in Gujarat's Ahmedabad city said the billboards were an insult to Islam because no such verse existed.

"Such hoardings can spark violence and disturb the peace between the two communities," the mufti told AFP.

"Anything which is not from the Quran and publicised as part of the holy book is an insult to Islam. I strongly condemn this act of the Gujarat government."

Read: India beef ban shines light on cow care homes

Gujarat has a history of communal violence, with riots leaving at least 1,000 people, mainly Muslims, dead in 2002 when Modi was then the state's chief minister.

Vallabh Kathiria, chairman of the Gujarat government's cow protection board, defended the posters put up around the state's main city of Ahmedabad, saying he was quoting Islamic and other religious leaders.

India's western Maharashtra state this year toughened a beef ban which criminalises even possession of the meat.

Its state capital Mumbai this week banned the slaughter and sale of meat for four days, following demands from the strictly vegetarian Jain community, sparking anger among meat eaters.

COMMENTS (17)

Ajay | 8 years ago | Reply I don't understand the reaction from our Pakistani friends. First they believe in religion based society where non-muslims can't flourish. This is a proven fact that minorities have been systematically suppressed in Pakistan. There are numerous horror stories about it by Pakistani bloggers and writers about the fate of religious minorities in Pakistan so let's not live in denial. On the other hand India is a flourishing secular Country where people of various faiths are living and progressing togethar. There is open discussion on minority rights and various political parties take care against and religion based discrimination. There is free Press, independent judiciary. But they over react on any issue in India for which even the local Muslims have no problem. Some news is even misrepresented. Like Court orders are publicised as BJP Govt. Order. It seems there is a BJP or Modi fobia. In Gujarat many Muslims are voting for BJP. India has an ancient culture and tradition which is based on nature, humanity, peace, equality and spirituality. We are a dynamic society where we are willing to change and adapt things to modern times. On the contrary Pakistan seems a confused society with no roots. They are originally Indians but want to identify their progeny as Arabs or Afghans or Turks. They like to imagine their History began with advent of Islam in India. They want to brush aside India's ancient culture as irrelevant. But fortunately the Muslims of India understand what our true culture and roots are.

Milind | 8 years ago | Reply @Shahid - There was no insult to Islam here, possibly misquoting of scriptures. But this pales in comparison to twisting of your texts by the Mullahs resulting in violence & mayhem. Why do Muslims have to get incensed at the slightest provocation? Some things are better left ignored

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Shahmeer | 8 years ago | Reply @ajeet: True Face Of Indians, india is not a secular state its a hypocritical country that leaves no effort to Discriminate its Minorities.

Fact checker | 8 years ago | Reply Problem in your article. It is not Modi's government in Gujarat anymore. It is Anandi Patel who is the CM there now. Yes, it is the same party but it is not run by Modi. If you think this is Modi govt in Guj, then you do not understand the federal structure of the Indian government. States are more or less independent in most matters.

Guest | 8 years ago | Reply Thanks to partion it was only Muslims who were divided and now 600 million Muslims living in three countries have no or little say on world forum.

Shahid | 8 years ago | Reply @ajeet dear friend instead of making such comments you should condemn this action of the government. Lets not blindly support whatever our respective governments do.

ajeet | 8 years ago | Reply Pakistan for Muslims and India for Hindus. The Muslims who don't like it in India can get out.

Qamar Valliani | 8 years ago | Reply To win elections in India, party has to play anti-Muslim card and BJP/RSS did that. During Vajpai's time, they demolished Babri masjid, During Gujrat elections they killed 2000 Muslim children and ladies. Now the economy is not moving despite so many foreign trips by Modi, they have found this reason to stay in power. But how long? Congress will throw BJP very soon from the power.

T | 8 years ago | Reply Am I missing something here? All the comments make it sound like Pakistan is a great country for minorities. Where in Pakistan can the christian minorities buy and eat pork? Hindus doing the same with muslims in India is following in Pakistan's footsteps. If India is regressing in their treatment of minorities, Pakistan never saw any progress too.

Babloo | 8 years ago | Reply As per Jinnah, two nation theory means , Hindus for India and Muslims for Pakistan. The question is , Pakistan got rid of its Hindus but what are 180 million Muslims doing in India ????? When are they going to Pakistan ?

Ck | 8 years ago | Reply Talkingabout Muslim rights in India and being slaves to China who everyone knows how they treat Muslims practicing their Faith! hypocrisy at it's best

Truth be told | 8 years ago | Reply @Truth Detector That was brilliant.:-)

Khan | 8 years ago | Reply Pakistan arrests terrorists and their courts release them. India catches terrorists, and then makes them their PM.

Point | 8 years ago | Reply Nawaz Sharif maybe corrupt but at least he is not a terrorist PM nor extremist to minorities like modi. And above all there are infinite youths in Pakistan who work hard daily to bring peace and raise voice for minorities in Pakistan on every forum. In india they are raising voice to create as much trouble as possible to minorities.

Truth Detector | 8 years ago | Reply I will put it this way: Thank you Jinnah for taking stand on 'Two Nation Theory' & Thank you Modi for re-enforcing it.

Pakistani | 8 years ago | Reply Thank you Jinnah, indeed! We may have a large number of problems in our country but at least we don't have to put up with this bull** (pun intended).

Ali | 8 years ago | Reply Thank you Quaide Azam for giving us Pakistan!

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