Sonu Quraishi, Gope Quraishi and several others working at a slaughterhouse at Kantatoli have been sitting idle for the last five days after the State Government’s order to ban illegal slaughterhouses in the State and are now deeply concerned about their bread and butter as they do not know any other work.
The slaughterhouse was closed two days ahead of the State Government’s order to close slaughter houses on the occasion of ‘Ramnavmi’ as there was a tradition to close it during Hindu festivals.
“It seems that I have lost my job for ever as this slaughter house will never get functional after Government’s order. I do not know what to do as I had been feeding my whole family, through this profession, which includes my wife and four kids,” said Sonu Quraishi.
He did not know what to do next as the profession was inherited from his forefathers from the community he belonged to.
President of Jharkhand Pradesh Jamaitul Quraish, Ghulam Daus Quraishi claimed that ban on illegal slaughter houses will put more than 5 lakh people related to this profession on streets and appealed the State Government also to think about those families who have lost their bread and butter and requested him to give permission for slitting at least those animals which are banned in this State.
“As people related to this profession have inherited it from their forefathers they do not know any other work hence we request Chief Minister Raghubar Das to at least think about those families who have completely lost their bread and butter,” said Quraishi.
Ban on slaughter houses will leave more than 5 lakh people on streets who are directly or indirectly related to this profession, he added.
Meanwhile, a state level meeting has been called on Thursday to chalk out further plan of action.
“We have called a meeting of Jharkhand Pradesh Jamaitul Quraish tomorrow to chalk out further course of action following which we will also try to meet the CM and request him to do something in this regard. He must sit with the ‘Quraishi’ community to find out some solution,” said Quraishi.
He further claimed that they did not intend to hurt religious sentiments of any community and hence might be given licenses to slit those animals which are not banned in the State.
Slaughter house at Kantatoli was functional since British Era in 1818 and auctioning was done regularly for it, but auctioning was not done after 2005 by Ranchi Municipal Corporation after the Arjun Munda Government banned beef in the State. When they approached RMC for renewal of their contract, they were told that a modern slaughter house was being constructed for them.
“If it was illegal, then how come it remained functional till 2005,” questioned Quraishi. “It was only a conspiracy to defame the slaughter houses for making way for new entrants in the profession which will make more money and provide more revenue to the Government,” he added.
“Bacon factory at Kanke is being converted into slaughter house by the State Government for outsiders at the cost of slaughter houses of the poor which have been providing bread and butter to the families of more than five lakh people in the State,” he said.