Mumbai: No shortage of goats for Bakrid, says minister

MUMBAI: City guardian minister Aslam Shaikh said there will be no shortage of goats and sheep for Eidul Azha or Bakrid festival, which will be celebrated in July-end.
Apart from BMC-run Deonar slaughter house, where the largest bakra mandi or goat market is held before Bakrid, many small mandis, close to Muslim pockets in the city, will be temporarily held to enable people to buy goats.
“To avoid crowding at Deonar and risking spread of coronavirus, we will allow traders to hold small mandis in open spaces close to areas with a big Muslim population. There will be no shortage of goats and sheep. Social distancing norms and precautions will be taken by traders and buyers,” said Shaikh.
Gulrez Qureishi of All-India Jamiatul Qureish (Mumbai) wrote to Shaikh demanding that sufficient goats be made available. He added it would be better if traders can take goats to markets many days before the festival.
Samajwadi Party leaders and MLAs Abu Asim Azmi and Rais Shaikh on Thursday called a meeting of community leaders at Islam Gymkhana to discuss issues, including inconvenience in buying and sacrificing goats during the three-day festival. “The government must open Deonar slaughter house, closed since lockdown, as soon as possible. Facilities to stock animals and measures to maintain social distancing must be spelt,” said Azmi.
Advocate Mobin Solkar maintained that the high court must be approached for clarity on purchase and slaughtering of goats at society buildings. Ever year, organizations opposing animal sacrifice petition the HC to stop sacrifice of goats and sheep during Bakrid.