Cut cakes, end slaughter, says RSS arm, sparks row

LUCKNOW: RSS-affiliate Muslim Rashtriya Manch on Wednesday triggered a row in Uttar Pradesh by asking its members to cut cakes with goat caricatures to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha in order to end the practice of slaughter. The Manch, which has more than 13 lakh members, described it as an "eco-friendly" Eid.

Quran has never endorsed animal sacrifice, Manch vice-president Raees Raja said. "Allah had asked Ibrahim to sacrifice animal once due to his devotion. Quran never teaches such a thing. Instead it says if any human being shows care to animals and birds, God will shower his kindness upon them," Raja added.

The practice to denounce animal slaughter has been followed by the Manch since its inception in 2002, but previous governments, led by SP and BSP, have backed clerics and fundamentalists on animal qurbani, he alleged. "We are thankful to the Yogi Adityanath government to prohibit animal slaughter in public," said Raja.


The UP government and police on Monday had issued guidelines, including a ban on selfies with animals, slaughter in the open, to be followed on Eid. Raja's remarks, however, evoked sharp reactions from both Sunni and Shia clerics.

"I strongly condemn the Manch which is against Islam. Fast-food giants like KFC and McDonald's slaughter lakhs of animals daily. Why doesn't RSS or its affiliate outfits seek a ban on them?" asked Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, cleric and Imam Eidgah, Lucknow.

Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas said, "We will continue to sacrifice animals and will not allow any interference by anyone. Those who want to practice different Islam can do in their own homes and organisations."