JAIPUR: Ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, priests associated with the 12th-century Ajmer Dargah Sharif Friday joined a widening call from Muslim clerics across India demanding that the cow be declared the country’s “national animal” and that a complete ban be imposed on the sale and slaughter of cows as well as the export of beef.The move follows recent appeals by Muslim clerics across the country, including Maulana Mohammad Shafiq Qasmi of Kolkata’s Nakhoda Masjid, who urged Muslims not to offer cows for sacrifice during Bakra Eid.The appeals have gained momentum amid warnings and advisories issued by state govts in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam, cautioning that incidents of cow slaughter could invite punitive action during Eid-ul-Azha celebrations, slated for May 28.Syed Sarwar Chishti, a priest at the Ajmer dargah, questioned why the Centre had still not accorded cow the status of a national animal despite its religious significance in India. “Is it part of some design or agenda that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS have still not declared the cow a national animal despite its religious importance?” Chishti said. He urged PM Modi to convene a special session of Parliament to bring stricter laws against the sale, purchase and export of cows for slaughter purposes.Chishti also demanded harsher punishment for those abandoning cows after their lactating period ends, saying many stray cattle are left on roads where they consume plastic waste and suffer.At the same time, he criticised fringe elements engaging in violence in the name of cow protection and asserted that Muslims should voluntarily avoid purchasing cows. “Those selling cows are non-Muslims. Muslims should take a pledge not to buy cows,” he said.He further appealed to dargahs and religious institutions across the country to release video messages urging followers to remain calm, vigilant and avoid reacting to any provocation during Eid celebrations while strictly adhering to local state-level rules regarding animal sacrifice.Chishti said that traders dealing in sacrificial animals were largely non-Muslims and argued that if restrictions or bans resulted in economic losses to sellers, the respective state govts should compensate them.Syed Shajar Ali Madarvi of Dargah Syed Badiuddin Zinda Shah Madar in Kanpur said suspicion over cow slaughter was increasingly leading to lynching incidents, alleging that both state govts and the Union govt had failed to adequately address such cases. “We have appealed to Muslims not to transport or purchase cows even for farming or milk purposes,” Madarvi said.Similar appeals have been made by clerics associated with the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi. The demands have gained attention amid restrictions and advisories regarding cow sacrifice during Bakra Eid celebrations scheduled for May 28.
