As Eid ul Azha approaches, the political atmosphere around the ritual of qurbani has turned increasingly volatile, with Muslim leaders asserting their constitutional right to religious practice and questioning what they call the BJP’s seasonal morality. Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali has reaffirmed that animal sacrifice is not a mere tradition but a divine act of worship, mandatory for every capable Muslim during Eid ul Azha.
AIMIM spokesperson Aseem Waqar intensified the debate, asking why the moral outrage over animal slaughter surfaces only during Bakrid. “Where does this love for animals disappear the rest of the year?” Waqar asked, highlighting India’s massive meat industry, including the annual slaughter of 25 crore goats and sheep and over 350 crore chickens, largely unnoticed by the same voices now condemning Eid practices. Waqar didn’t mince words, accusing BJP leaders of hypocrisy.
From MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar to Telangana’s T Raja and Maharashtra’s Nitish Rane, several saffron figures have called qurbani cruel. Yet, India continues to export beef to 35 countries, a ₹25,000 crore business legitimized through government-issued licences. Ironically, the largest beef processing units operate from Maharashtra.
With Muslims forming only 14% of India’s population, Waqar questioned why 60% non-Muslim meat consumers face no scrutiny. He demanded that the cow be declared the national animal if the government is serious about protection.
