For BJP, cow is 'mummy' in UP, but 'yummy' in North East: Owaisi

Taking strong exception to closing down of slaughterhouses in Uttar Pradesh, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, while highlighting the hypocrisy in its attitude, on Saturday said that while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds the cow in a high regard in Uttar Pradesh, in north eastern states, the party considers it to be part of the delicacy.

"One should note that India gains Rs. 26,000 crore from buffalo meat exports, out of this Uttar Pradesh gains 11,000 crore. The Government of India promotes buffalo meat exports. These kinds of contradictions are there," Owaisi told ANI.

"And one last thing. In Uttar Pradesh, cow is considered mummy (mother), while in northeast it's yummy. If this is not the BJP's hypocrisy then what is it? The BJP spreads Hindutva wherever it suits them. Elections are going to take place in three of the north eastern states, they are allowing beef because of this reason," he added.

He also came down heavily on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asking the BJP monk leader to stop drawing a parallel between namaaz and surya namaskar and start discharging his constitutional functions.

"We have been hearing this for the past 55 years and we are tired of it. I urge him to leave this patronising attitude and instead focus on the issue where because of his government's policies 15 lakh people have lost their livelihood. I hope, being the Chief Minister, he would show some concern towards people whose family business has been running slaughterhouses," Owasis said.

Following Adityanath's order on closing down on illegal slaughterhouses, several states, including as many as five of the BJP-ruled states have followed in for the closure of illegal abattoirs across the country.

Several slaughter house owners and meat sellers in Uttar Pradesh have closed their shops following an indefinite strike call by different associations in protest against the order.

Even as the Jharkhand Government earlier last week issued an order for closure of all illegal slaughterhouses in the state within 72 hours, the Gujarat State Assembly on Friday amended its Cow Protection Law introducing a life term for those slaughtering the animal.

Seven illegal slaughterhouses were sealed in Bihar's Rohtas district after the Patna High Court directed them be sealed within six weeks.

In Karnataka too, the Gau Samrakshana Prakoshta and Karnataka Federation of Gaushaalas reportedly have demanded 1,700 meat shops in the city be closed down as they are unauthorised.