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Log inBBC News: Meat traders in Uttar Pradesh go on indefinite strike
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BBC News: Meat traders in Uttar Pradesh go on indefinite strike
by Guest Mon Mar 27, 2017 3:54 pm
Meat traders in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh are on indefinite strike in protest at the closure of butcher's shops and slaughterhouses considered illegal.
The move follows the nomination of Hindu hardline politician Yogi Adityanath as chief minister.
Most are owned by Muslims who make up 18% of the state's population.
Mr Adityanath opposes the slaughter and consumption of cows, considered sacred by India's Hindu majority.
Reports say that immediately after taking office, one of his first acts was to instruct police officials to crack down on "illegal" slaughterhouses in the state.
Locals allege, however, that many of the businesses did not kill cows, but animals like goats and buffalo, the slaughter of which is legal.
India traders fear 'meat crackdown'
They say shops are being shut on technicalities, such as environmental norms. They also say that despite applying for licences they are yet to receive them.
Atul Kumar, a senior official in the state government, earlier told the BBC that the administration was mulling a simplified system to address concerns about granting licences.
Many families say that their livelihoods are at stake, as they have been owning and running these shops for generations.
Chaudhry Iqbal Qureshi, the head of a meat traders association, told BBC Hindi that people were being harassed by authorities which was also why they were striking.
Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, is also the largest meat-producing state.
The state government is estimated to earn more than 110bn rupees ($1.7bn; £1.3bn) a year from the industry.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-39403776
The move follows the nomination of Hindu hardline politician Yogi Adityanath as chief minister.
Most are owned by Muslims who make up 18% of the state's population.
Mr Adityanath opposes the slaughter and consumption of cows, considered sacred by India's Hindu majority.
Reports say that immediately after taking office, one of his first acts was to instruct police officials to crack down on "illegal" slaughterhouses in the state.
Locals allege, however, that many of the businesses did not kill cows, but animals like goats and buffalo, the slaughter of which is legal.
India traders fear 'meat crackdown'
They say shops are being shut on technicalities, such as environmental norms. They also say that despite applying for licences they are yet to receive them.
Atul Kumar, a senior official in the state government, earlier told the BBC that the administration was mulling a simplified system to address concerns about granting licences.
Many families say that their livelihoods are at stake, as they have been owning and running these shops for generations.
Chaudhry Iqbal Qureshi, the head of a meat traders association, told BBC Hindi that people were being harassed by authorities which was also why they were striking.
Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, is also the largest meat-producing state.
The state government is estimated to earn more than 110bn rupees ($1.7bn; £1.3bn) a year from the industry.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-39403776
Guest- Guest
Re: BBC News: Meat traders in Uttar Pradesh go on indefinite strike
by Guest Mon Mar 27, 2017 3:58 pm
A few corrections to the BJP story:
1. while illegal slaughterhouses are being shut down on technicalities, and not giving license to those who have applied for them (a point noted by the BBC news piece), another point not mentioned in the BBC story is that mechanized abbatoirs are also being targeted. As Karan Thapar writes:
The second promise that needs to be rethought is the commitment to shut both illegal and mechanised slaughter-houses. This was always poorly thought-through because UP has many legal mechanised slaughter houses which employ thousands and is India’s biggest buffalo meat exporter, a category accounting for 1.56% of all exports and growing at nearly 30% annually.
These are good reasons for reconsidering. Illegal slaughter houses, which should never exist in the first place, must be shut. However, mechanised ones operating with government permission must be permitted to continue. Ensuring they do not abuse their licence is one thing. Shutting them down would be simply wrong.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/columns/adityanath-must-realise-it-makes-economic-sense-to-keep-slaughter-houses-open/story-qnlMCN8wDqGyThBqnitxTJ.html
1. while illegal slaughterhouses are being shut down on technicalities, and not giving license to those who have applied for them (a point noted by the BBC news piece), another point not mentioned in the BBC story is that mechanized abbatoirs are also being targeted. As Karan Thapar writes:
The second promise that needs to be rethought is the commitment to shut both illegal and mechanised slaughter-houses. This was always poorly thought-through because UP has many legal mechanised slaughter houses which employ thousands and is India’s biggest buffalo meat exporter, a category accounting for 1.56% of all exports and growing at nearly 30% annually.
These are good reasons for reconsidering. Illegal slaughter houses, which should never exist in the first place, must be shut. However, mechanised ones operating with government permission must be permitted to continue. Ensuring they do not abuse their licence is one thing. Shutting them down would be simply wrong.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/columns/adityanath-must-realise-it-makes-economic-sense-to-keep-slaughter-houses-open/story-qnlMCN8wDqGyThBqnitxTJ.html
Guest- Guest
Re: BBC News: Meat traders in Uttar Pradesh go on indefinite strike
by Guest Mon Mar 27, 2017 4:04 pm
2. regarding the slaughterhouses, the BBC says most are owned by Hindus. I seriously doubt it. in this connection, i should mention that most workers in these places are hindus as per this article:
Spread over 45 acres in Talaspur Khurd village of Aligarh, 150 kms from the national capital, the abattoir provides employment to 2,100-odd workers, most of them Hindus. The high-pitched crackdown has found support of Hindu right-wing groups and this has made the workers, like Pillai, foresee a bleak future.
“Except butchers, who are specialised in ‘halal’ (Islamic) slaughter, the rest of the workers in almost all abattoirs are Hindus,” said an office-bearer of the All India Meat and Livestock Exporters’ Association. He did not want to be named.
In economic terms, UP accounts for nearly 50% of India’s total meat exports, a huge industry that provides livelihood to 25 lakh people, directly or indirectly. Though the chief minister has assured legal slaughterhouses would not be harmed, abattoir owners allege the administration was harassing even legal set-ups, perhaps to “please their bosses”.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/job-loss-fear-looms-over-up-s-biggest-slaughterhouse-where-hindus-outnumber-muslims/story-wodpKHLYmScJsJdsZZnjyO.html
Spread over 45 acres in Talaspur Khurd village of Aligarh, 150 kms from the national capital, the abattoir provides employment to 2,100-odd workers, most of them Hindus. The high-pitched crackdown has found support of Hindu right-wing groups and this has made the workers, like Pillai, foresee a bleak future.
“Except butchers, who are specialised in ‘halal’ (Islamic) slaughter, the rest of the workers in almost all abattoirs are Hindus,” said an office-bearer of the All India Meat and Livestock Exporters’ Association. He did not want to be named.
In economic terms, UP accounts for nearly 50% of India’s total meat exports, a huge industry that provides livelihood to 25 lakh people, directly or indirectly. Though the chief minister has assured legal slaughterhouses would not be harmed, abattoir owners allege the administration was harassing even legal set-ups, perhaps to “please their bosses”.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/job-loss-fear-looms-over-up-s-biggest-slaughterhouse-where-hindus-outnumber-muslims/story-wodpKHLYmScJsJdsZZnjyO.html
Guest- Guest
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