Lucknow: Despite the fact that Unnao itself depends on leather and beef export business, BJP National President Amit Shah while addressing a public rally on 11th February vowed to shut down slaughter houses.
While 64% voters have cast their votes in 73 seats in the First Phase on the same day, this statement by Amit Shah has raged up controversy in this communal sensitive area where Muslims and Jat communities as strong voters have vowed to defeat BJP together.
“All slaughterhouses across the state will be banned from the night of March 12,”said Amit Shah. Counting of votes in UP will be held on March 11.
BJP had promised in its manifesto for UP that all illegal slaughterhouses will be closed if the party comes to power, but it is for the first time that Shah has declared that all slaughterhouses will be shut down.
Economic development of Unnao mainly revolves around three industrial suburbs i.e. leather, mosquito nets and chemical industries.
Closing down the slaughterhouses means closing down leather industry which is main economic source for hundreds of small businesses and thousands of employed people. Amit Shah’s decision directly or indirectly proves that either BJP isn’t concerned about the economic growth in Western UP or they’re just completing the formality of ‘repeating phrases’ like they have been doing since 3 years.
The question which now arises is, “Why is Maharashtra ignored in this case?”
According to RTI reports, there are more slaughterhouses in India than milk processing factories and liquid milk plants combined. India has 1,623 registered slaughter houses, there are only 213 registered milk processing factories and 793 liquid milk plants.
Interestingly, Maharashtra, where BJP’s State government ban on meat caused a political storm in 2015 has the maximum number of slaughterhouses – 316 followed by Uttar Pradesh (285) and Tamil Nadu (130) where BJP’s allies AIADMK is in power.
The statistics and analysis of the situation and BJP’s decision proves that Amit Shah’s claims to close down all the slaughterhouses in Uttar Pradesh gains no weight.