Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], January 9 : Madhya Pradesh Congress workers staged a protest against alleged cow slaughter at Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) office in the city on Friday.
The protestors raised slogans against the state government and alleged that the illegal activity was being carried out with the alleged nexus of municipal corporation employees and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
The Congress protestors also demanded that the slaughter house should be demolished and strict action should be taken against the accused.
"There is a double-engine government in the state, a government that claims to protect Hindu interests, and the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh moves around in a vehicle adorned with a peacock feather. Yet, cow slaughter is taking place in the state capital Bhopal. The municipal corporation personnel are also involved in it," Congress spokesperson Amit Sharma said.
He further asked, "Who are the people under whose protection containers of banned stuff were being transported? Since when has this been happening? Under whose protection was this carried out, how was the slaughter house given tender, and why has bulldozer action not been taken at the site so far? If no bulldozer action is taken there within a week, we will bring a bulldozer and demolish it."
Notably, the BMC sealed a slaughterhouse in the city after laboratory reports confirmed that a large consignment of meat seized from a truck fell in the prohibited category. The action followed the seizure of around 25 tonnes of meat from a truck in the Jahangirabad area of Bhopal earlier this month. Police have arrested two accused in connection with the case.
According to officials, on the night of December 17, Hindu right-wing organisations intercepted a truck allegedly transporting meat from Bhopal to Mumbai. The organisations claimed the consignment contained banned meat. Acting on the complaint, police seized the meat and sent samples for laboratory testing. After the report confirmed the presence of the prohibited meat, the BMC sealed the slaughterhouse from where it was allegedly sourced.
Earlier, Congress leader Sharma said, "The slaughterhouse was leased out by the municipal corporation and it gave free hand to the operator to sell the meat of any animal. A truck was caught on December 17, a report was sent for testing and now the slaughterhouse is sealed so late. I assert with certainty that a few officers of the municipal corporation and a few people from the BJP are involved in this business. Everyone in Bhopal knows this; even the police station personnel are aware that cows are being slaughtered there."
Additionally, Bhopal Mayor Malti Rai said that the slaughterhouse samples were found incorrect, following which action was taken against it.
"The information received indicates that the slaughterhouse samples were found to be incorrect. When the slaughterhouse samples were found to be incorrect, action was taken against it...Action is being taken against the officer concerned, or a private vendor, or anyone else, action is being taken against those involved...The slaughterhouse has been sealed. The administration is taking all necessary and appropriate actions," Bhopal Mayor said.