india

Updated: Jan 31, 2016 01:00 IST

The Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM), the Muslim arm of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) will start organising ‘milk parties’ across the country from March in an attempt to strengthen the Sangh and the BJP-led government’s campaign against the consumption of beef.

The plan comes days after the All-India Majlis-e- Ittehadul Muslimeen’s (AIMIM) Assaduddin Owaisi told voters in Hyderabad to vote for his party if they wanted to continue eating beef.

Beef festivals were organised in several parts of the country, particularly university campuses, to protest after the death of a Muslim man in Western Uttar Pradesh who was lynched over a rumour that he ate beef.

The MRM said its campaign will counter what it describes as attempts to “politicise beef eating”. “It is unfortunate that some political parties are using beef-eating as an excuse to divide the people of this country,” Mohammad Afzal of the MRM told Hindustan Times.

The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and its political arm the Bharatiya Janaya Party (BJP), which rules the centre and more than ten states, oppose the consumption of beef since Hindus regard the cow as a holy animal.

Besides the ‘milk parties’, the MRM has also decided to organise a special prayer ceremonies for peace in the country.

“From February 18 to 25, the Ayat-e-Karima will be recited at venues across the country to pray for peace in the country. We want tolerance and secularism in this country and not bloodshed on account of terrorism, therefore, prayers will be recited 1.25 lakh times as part of the Ayat-e-Karima for wish fulfilment,” Afzal said.

Also on the agenda of the MRM is arranging meetings between Hindu and Muslim groups to broker an agreement on the issue of constructing a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Afzal said between February and March, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch leaders will fan out across the states to build consensus on the Ram Temple issue.