Issue guidelines on meat reportage, Muslim biz house asks Katju

The Muslim Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) Sunday wrote to Press Council of India head Markandey Katju that "a particular lobby for gaining political mileage" has been wrongly terming buffalo meat as beef which has hurt production and appealed that he should issue proper guidelines to the media on reporting about it.

The Aligarh-based MCCI, in an open letter, said, the "socio-political situation in the country is fast changing and going in the direction of communal divide particularly after emergence of Narendra Modi on political scenario".

It said that Aligarh and adjoining area is a major centre of meat production and export, but since the last few weeks, "a particular lobby for gaining political mileage has not only defamed meat produced at Aligarh but also has succeeded in stopping its production which has resulted in the economic losses to a particular community engaged in the trade".

Pointing out that "there is difference between beef and buffalo meat and all sections of Indian citizenry respect the religious sentiments associated with beef", it said in Aligarh, buffalo slaughter is done in a legal way but "in the name of beef the trade of meat has been stopped".

It said the media should "desist using world 'beef' without confirmation as their use may escalate communal divide and sends wrong signals".

It requested the PCI head to issue proper guidelines to media "for confirmation about the variety of meat before declare any meat as beef. Your intervention will save an ugly situation and will strengthen the journalistic ethics", the statement said.