PETA India Initiaties a Campaign Against Animal Sacrifice

Religion has been an extremely sensitive issue in India. Every rule comes after religion. Even for enlightened individuals, rational thinking, ethical and compassionate behaviour becomes secondary while following religious rituals. This is why any comment on religion by anyone becomes a major controversy. In such volatile times, organizations and individuals refrain from commenting upon religion.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), however, is not the one to stay silent over its ideologies and beliefs. In a bold move, ahead of the festival of Bakri Eid, PETA India has started a campaign to stop the sacrifice of goats.

The Festival of Bakri Eid

Bakri Eid is one of the most important festivals in Islam. Ever since time immemorial, Muslims have celebrated the festival by slaughtering goats to honour Ibrahim’s spirit of sacrifice. To this end, a countless number of goats are slaughtered on this day. Prior to their slaughter, the goats are hit and dragged to slaughterhouses where they are killed by an unskilled person by a blunt object which causes them much more pain. This is mostly done with all the animals watching generating fear among them. The inhumane bloodshed has gained the attention of non-profit who believes that tradition does not justify cruelty against animals.

PETA India’s Campaign

PETA India has initiated the campaign against goat slaughter in the country by installing billboards at many places in Lucknow with a picture of a goat that says, “I am ME, Not Mutton. See the Individual. Go Vegan.”

Join in the Twitter campaign going on right now with @VeganIndiaMovt to speak up for animals who are individuals, not meat.

Use the #IAmMeNotMeat hashtag. pic.twitter.com/pyNxoYT5fj

— PETA India (@PetaIndia) July 8, 2020

PETA India’s Legal Associate, Amir Nabi has said: “All religions call for compassion, and no religion requires eating meat. I celebrate Eid by distributing fruits to the needy. Goats feel pain and fear, have unique personalities, and value their own lives, just as we do.”

PETA India has also called on states to stop any illegal transport and killing of animals in the lead-up to the festival.

Despite the best intentions of the non-profit, the move was not welcomed by Islamic clerics who claimed that the hoardings hurt their religious sentiments. Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, President of the Islamic Centre of India even made a formal complaint to the Lucknow Police Commissioner demanding the removal of PETA’s hoarding. There were a few more official complaints registered against the non-profit over the issue.

Following the outrage, the said hoardings were removed from Lucknow. However, the campaign against slaughter is continued on social media with many supporting the organization and many opposing it, with a trending hashtag on twitter – #BakraLivesMatter.