Mamata Banerjee justifies cow slaughter; blames BJP for unrest in Jharkhand’s Pakur on Eid

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the BJP government in Jharkhand be blamed for the unrest in Pakur on Eid where police had to open fire on people after reports emerged that locals were sacrificing a cow to mark their festival. Banerjee told reporters that people belonging to a certain community were targeted by the police on the day of the festival. She said that several injured people fled Jharkhand to West Bengal after the incident and are being treated at hospitals in the state.

On Wednesday, at least a dozen people in Dangapara village of Pakur in Jharkhand were injured after villagers clashed with police over reports of cow slaughter during Eid celebrations in a full public view. According to police, the clashes broke out when police arrived in the village and tried to stop animal slaughter in public. Police said that villagers had also attacked the police party and as a result, five cops were injured.

“On the occasion of Eid, several people belonging to a specific community were shot at in Jharkhand. They fled to West Bengal and were admitted in our hospitals for treatment,” she told reporters on Friday.

“Just because they (BJ) are the ruling party, it doesn’t mean they will target people of a specific community. Isn’t it inhuman?” she asked.

Cows are considered sacred by Hindus in India. India, being a union of states has different laws for cow and cattle slaughter. While some states have completely banned slaughter of cattle including cow and buffalo, some haven’t banned. The Jharkhand government had in 2015 banned the cow slaughter in the state.

Banerjee further said that the BJP is trying to regulate people’s food habit. She also dared the saffron party to ban beef in northeastern states where the party is in power.

Justifying the killing of the holy animal, she said: “We have no right to dictate what others will eat. Plants also have life. What will happen if someone raises questions about eating vegetables like potato? This is not right.”

“Tribals and people from the northeast eat beef. Several Christians in European countries also eat it. I dare the BJP to ban beef in the northeast. Why can’t they do it there?” she said.

The TMC supremo added that she will ‘give shelter to the refugees and provide them with proper treatment’. “But such incidents should not happen.”

The West Bengal government had earlier this week filed an affidavit in the Calcutta High Court stating it does not have the infrastructure to stop the animal slaughter. The government filed its response to a court order directing the TMC government to regulate animal slaughter during Bakrid.