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Islamabad: The sudden enforcement of the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act of 1950 by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government ahead of Eid-ul-Adha severely disrupted the state’s rural livestock economy.<\/p>\n
According to Kashmir Media Service, ahead of Eid-ul-Adha cow trade restrictions, BJP government policies, and rising tensions linked to cow vigilantism pushed West Bengal\u2019s livestock economy into a serious crisis. As Eid-ul-Adha approached on May 27, a major decline in cattle trading activity was witnessed across West Bengal.<\/p>\n
Under the law, fitness certificates became mandatory for animals older than 14 years, while further restrictions were imposed on cow slaughter.<\/p>\n
Hindu organizations such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal intensified protests and campaigns against the sale of cows for Eid sacrifice, further escalating tensions.<\/p>\n
Critics argued that pressure from the BJP government and cow protection groups harmed not only Muslims but also poor Hindu traders and farmers who depended on the cattle economy.<\/p>\n
In response, Muslim leaders, including Maulana Shafiq Qasmi, urged Muslims to avoid purchasing cows and instead sacrifice goats or sheep in order to respect legal requirements and social sensitivities.<\/p>\n
Livestock markets in several districts of West Bengal, particularly South 24 Parganas, Nadia, and Murshidabad, recorded a 50\u201370 percent drop in buyer turnout.<\/p>\n
Hindu Ghosh community traders, who traditionally raised cows for Eid profits, suffered severe financial losses.<\/p>\n
During Eid season, these cows could sell for Rs 50,000 to Rs1 lakh compared to normal prices of Rs10,000\u2013Rs 25,000, making the trade a crucial annual source of income.<\/p>\n
Many families became trapped under loans nearing \u20b99 lakh alongside rising feed and livestock maintenance costs.<\/p>\n
The tensions reflected a broader national pattern of cow-related violence, mob attacks, and vigilantism across India.<\/p>\n
Between 2015 and 2018, at least 44 people, including 36 Muslims, were killed in more than 100 cow vigilante attacks across 12 Indian states, while nearly 280 others were injured.<\/p>\n
A Reuters investigation found that between 2010 and mid-2017, 28 people, including 24 Muslims, were killed and 124 injured in 63 such incidents, with 97 percent of the attacks occurring after 2014.<\/p>\n
Reports compiled by Reuters and Wikipedia indicate that by 2024, cow vigilantism-related incidents had resulted in 43 deaths and 157 injuries across 83 recorded cases.<\/p>\n
These developments severely impacted the rural economy, strained relations between communities, and triggered farmer protests.<\/p>\n
The situation highlighted the growing conflict between cultural protection policies, religious practices, political pressure, economic realities, and the historical legacy of violence surrounding India\u2019s livestock economy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Islamabad: The sudden enforcement of the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act of 1950 by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government ahead of Eid-ul-Adha severely disrupted the state’s rural livestock economy. According to Kashmir Media Service, ahead of Eid-ul-Adha cow trade restrictions, BJP government policies, and rising tensions linked to cow vigilantism pushed West Bengal\u2019s …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":201499,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-201498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-india"],"yoast_head":"\n