Meat exporters support UP CM's move against illegal abattoirs

Meat exporters have backed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath following talks of closure of illegal slaughterhouses and meat shops.

A top meat exporter in the state said the BJP government did not intend to target the Muslims, but wanted to check illegal businesses.

Sirajuddin Qureshi, the president of All India Jamiatul Quresh, urged the meat industry to cooperate with the state government for the regularisation of slaughterhouses and meat shops.

Speaking to reporters here, Qureshi said Adityanath told a delegation from the meat industry that he did not want to bring religion into the trade, and promised to take action against the officials who were shutting down legal meat export houses and shops. He said he was impressed by the chief minister’s openness to handle the issues that were brought to his notice by the delegation.

Qureshi said Muslims only accounted for 30% in this business and the rest belonged to other communities, which contribute at various levels in the chain — from slaughtering to packaging and transportation of goat and buffalo meat. He also said Muslims need not fear or feel terrorised under the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh.

AIMIM president and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi, meanwhile, attacked the BJP for its double standards over the cow slaughter issue.

“The BJP’s hypocrisy is that in Uttar Pradesh, cow is mummy, but in the Northeast, it’s yummy,” said Owaisi, referring to the fact that cow slaughter is not banned in the Northeastern states.

The BJP is in power in Northeastern states like Assam and Manipur.

Probe into Gomti riverfront project

The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a probe into the financial irregularities into former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s Gomti riverfront project, DHNS reports from Lucknow. According to sources here on Saturday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed a judicial inquiry into the project.

 “A retired high court judge will probe the irregularities. The report will be submitted to the chief minister within 45 days,” said a senior government official here. A source said that during his recent visit to the riverfront, the chief minister had expressed his annoyance at the slow pace of work.