At a time when the country is debating on the issue of beef ban and curbing cow slaughter, some Muslims who are otherwise blamed for cow slaughter, are organising cow milk parties all over the country to counter the accusation hurled against them. They are also organising Muslim Gaupalak Sammelans to felicitate the Muslims rearing cows.
Quick Take
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Inspiration
Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM), a social reformist movement amongst the Muslims active since 2002 is the inspiration behind the initiative. The Manch has set up a ‘Gau Rakshak Prakoshth’ within the organisation with Haji Tayyab Qureshi as its patron and Mohd Faiz Khan as national Convener.
Initiative
The first Muslim Gaupalak Sammelan was held in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, where 180 Muslims engaged in cow rearing and protection participated. Encouraged over it, the Manch decided to take a big plunge ahead and organised the first national level convention of Muslim Gaupalaks in Mewat region of Haryana. This event evoked a very positive response, as thousands of Muslims engaged in cow rearing participated in the meeting. The congregation was addressed by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and MRM patron Shri Indresh Kumar. Some of the participants were felicitated for outstanding work in the field.
Apart from it the MRM initiated cow milk parties in response to the beef parties held by those who opposed banning cow slaughter. Such parties were held in Delhi, Srinagar, Lucknow, Lohardaga in Jharkhand and Sanavat in Madhya Pradesh, etc. The Manch announced to hold similar parties at 100 places in the country starting from November 19 to Gopashtami.
In Delhi’s programme hundreds of Muslims participated in the cow milk party at Asaf Ali Road. They said cow slaughter and beef consumption are against the Bharateeya culture. In Lucknow, Lok Adhikar Manch organised the party at Hazratganj. Professors and scientists from Lucknow University, and locals served cow milk to people and passers-by.
Impact
The initiative has ushered in new awakening amongst the Muslim community. Muslims in large number understand that even under Mughal era, cow slaughter was banned. By and large these initiatives remove the clouds of doubts and usher in a new era of confidence and mutual trust between the two societies of Bharat.
—Virag Pachpore
