Idd-Ul-Zoha rituals: Assam Police urged to ensure peaceful 'Qurbani'

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: With a plea that the police should not impose the rules and regulations of the 'Assam Cattle Preservation Bill-2021' during the coming Idd-Ul-Zoha on July 21, representatives of various mosques, Muslim organizations and community leaders met the Guwahati Commissioner of Police, Munna Prasad Gupta, in his office on Tuesday.

The delegation was led by the general secretary of 'Noonmati Deeni Talimi Board', Mohd. Iquebal Ahmed, on Tuesday. The representatives have demanded that the earlier 'Assam Cattle Preservation Act-1950 (Assam Act 13 of 1951)' should remain in force during the Idd-Ul-Zoha.

Mentionably, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had tabled the 'Assam Cattle Preservation Bill-2021' in the Assam Assembly on Monday. The prime objective of the proposed legislation is the preservation of cattle by regulating their slaughter, consumption and illegal transportation. As per the proposed new legislation, "cattle" means bulls, bullocks, cows, heifer, calves, buffaloes and buffalo calves.

Iquebal pointed out that animal sacrifice (Qurbani) is one the fundamental rituals performed by Muslims during Idd-Ul-Zoha. He also said that the representatives of mosques and various other Muslim organizations have submitted a memorandum to the Commissioner of Police, Guwahati and requested him to ensure that the ritual of animal sacrifice is performed during the coming Idd without creating any kind of disturbance in the society.

Ahmed said the Muslim community is passing through a phase of uncertainty as to whether they could perform the 'Qurbani' ritual during the forthcoming Idd-Ul-Zoha this time. He added that the representatives have also requested the Commissioner of Police to clarify the issue at the earliest.

"We are ready to follow all COVID-19 protocols during 'Qurbani'. We have reasons to doubt that some anti-social elements might try to create disturbance during the Idd. So, we are hopeful that the police will thwart such attempts of the anti-social elements," he said.

Copies of the memorandum have been also submitted to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Secretary Jishnu Barua, Director General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta and Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup Metropolitan district Biswajit Pegu.

The Muslim community has also demanded relaxation of the present ban on inter-districts travel to facilitate the Muslims to proceed to their homes to observe the Idd-Ul-Zoha.

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