A score of BJP legislatures in India have asked Muslims to sacrifice their children on Eid-ul-Azha instead of sacrificing innocent animals.
BJP MLA, Nand Kishore Gurjar, from Loni Constituency in Ghaziabad is the latest to join the bandwagon calling out Muslims for sacrificing animals on Eid-ul-Azha. In his inciting comments, he said ‘meat spreads coronavirus’ so Muslims should not be allowed to sacrifice animals this Eid-ul-Azha.
“People who want to sacrifice on Eid should sacrifice their children. I will not let people consume meat and alcohol in Loni. We will not let people sacrifice innocent animals because meat spreads coronavirus,” said BJP legislator according to a report in news agency ANI.
Read more: BJP generates stories for anti-Muslim sentiments
“The way people have followed the guidelines of the government by not offering prayers and namaz at temples and mosques to contain COVID-19, in the same way, they must not offer the sacrifice of animals on this Eid,” he said.
As the international community presses for more freedom for minorities in Inia, a members of the Bhartiya Janta Party has made insulting remarks to the minority Muslim community ahead of Eid ul Adha, the eid if sacrifices.
https://t.co/zpMhagJaVG— 𓆩SHAHEEN𓆪 ྀི (@MalixEagle) July 29, 2020
Muslims should sacrifice sons not animals: BJP MLA
“Earlier, sacrifices of animals were offered in Sanatan Dharam as well. However, now coconut is offered instead. I request the Muslim brothers not to give ‘Qurbani’ of animals. We will stop those who will perform the ritual animal sacrifice. We will not let this happen in Loni,” Gurjar said.
Earlier, BJP’s MLA from Indore, Usha Thakur, also asserted inflammatory comments against the Islamic tradition of sacrificing animals. Thakur said that the Muslim community should sacrifice their sons instead of innocent animals. Thakur quoted the Islamic tale of Hazrat Ibrahim sacrificing his son Hazrat Ismail who was replaced by goat miraculously by the orders of Allah. Referring to this Islamic tale that set the basis for Eid-ul-Azha, Thakur said Muslims should sacrifice their son because it was the son who was sacrificed which was later substantiated with the goat.
Tell me again how the BJP is not the most bigoted Islamophobic disgusting party in India. What are these people? https://t.co/yUVnIVVtnp
— ranjona banerji 🇮🇳 (@ranjona) July 29, 2020
It is noteworthy that BJP MLA Usha Thakur has a history of passing vile comments against Muslims. On multiple occasion, she has passed derogatory comments against Muslims.
“So if we have to sacrifice somebody then it should be either our sons or if we can’t do that then we have no right to take a life of an innocent being,” she said.
“I appreciate the decision taken by some of our Muslim brothers to not sacrifice innocent animals. I believe that if we can’t give birth to someone, we have no right to take away its life. These innocent animals are also the creation of God,” she added.
Protest over sacrifice of cows
In the past, there have been massive protests on the sacrifice of cows on Eid-ul-Adha in India. Since the cow is a religious animal in Hinduism, Hindus have protested against the sacrifice and consumption of cow meat.
The insensitive and contemptuous statements of BJP legislatures triggered a backlash on social media. Indian citizens denounced the statements of BJP MLAs fraught with hate and disdain for the Muslim community.
BJP MLA Usha Thakur sparks off a controversy, says 'sacrifice sons, not animals' on Eid #ITVideohttps://t.co/vZ3GiCPsUw
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) September 25, 2015
They argued that the repugnant statements of BJP MLAs reflect the intolerance against Muslims. They went on to say that religious freedom in India is declining under the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Read more: How is BJP’s government weaponizing COVID-19 against Muslims in India?
However, this is not the first time BJP activists and proponents have passed statements to incite communal tensions in India. Muslims in India under the rule of BJP are under constant pressure to minimize their religious activities.