True Muslims Cannot Kill and Eat Cows During Shravan, Says Rampur Police Chief, Uses Expletive
The Wire Staff
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New Delhi: Rampur, Uttar Pradesh's police superintendent Anil Kumar Singh has said that a “true Muslim” can never slaughter and eat cows even when other communities find that offensive – and that those who do so are either not Muslim or are “haramis”.
Later Singh – whose police force he said has been involved in at least three ‘encounters’ over the last fortnight or so with people accused of cattle slaughter – said he was “merely [making] a social and cordial appeal” and did not intend to offend religious sentiments.
Speaking to reporters recently, Singh said that Islam deems ‘haram’ (forbidden) the slaughter and consumption of an animal when doing so offends other communities.
“A true Muslim can never do something like that. So those who do this – and I am very surprised by it – are either not Muslims or are haramis,” he told reporters on camera. The Hindi word harami can refer to someone who commits haram but is also an expletive that means ‘bastard’ or ‘scoundrel’. “And it is my job to treat haramis,” Singh added.
Following criticism of his remarks, Singh said in a statement issued by the Rampur police on Friday (August 7) that he was citing the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary and “merely [making] a social and cordial appeal”.
“If any incidents occur during the month of Shravan that offend the religious sentiments of members of other communities, such actions should be avoided,” Singh said, adding that his “statement was not intended to hurt the sentiments of any religion, community or individual”.
His remarks come as Hindus in north India mark the holy month of Shravan, during which the Kanwad Yatra also takes place. In recent years, including this one, the authorities in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh have restricted the sale of meat itself citing the pilgrimage.
They also amid the Rampur police's involvement in at least three ‘encounters’ with suspected cattle slaughterers since July 27. Photos and videos of their aftermath shared by the police show some suspects injured in their legs and limping.
After one of these incidents, Singh claimed in a video statement on Tuesday that some of the accused had fired shots at police officers, after which they were in turn shot in the leg.
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