New Delhi : The leaders of different Muslim organizations  have demanded a complete ban of  beef export from India. They were expressing their views during a conference  organized by  Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) a Muslim organization headed by  Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan.

They also sought to stop illegal slaughter to curb cruelty against cattle during   a seminar at Mavlankar Hall in Constitution Club on Thursday.

Maulana Raza Khan announced that he has written a letter for Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking ban on beef export. At the end of the event, he distributed the three-page letter signed by him.

Speaking on the occasion, Congress MP Digvijay Singh said that  “if BJP really wants to do Gau Sewa (service to cow) all its gau rakshak dals (Cow Vigilante Groups) should start to take care of all those cows when they stop to give milk and get freed,”

Singh added that most beef exporters are Hindus and BJP is only indulging in doing cow politics for communal polarisation.

Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, Chief Editor of Milli Gazette mentioned names of the Hindus who are top beef exporters in the country and stressed on misuse of the word ‘beef’.

“The word beef is being misused. Actually there is no other word for buffalo meat in English. And people are also being confused by the propaganda by using this word. And there are government officers in all authorized slaughtering houses, so there is no possibility of cow slaughtering there. This is totally baseless that meat exporters are Muslims. Most of the meat exporters are non-muslims. If PM really believes in Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas, he needs to do Sabka Khayal,” said Dr Khan.

All India Muslim Majlise Mushawarat  President Navaid Hamid said that this  convention will decide the future of democracy. He challenged PM Modi to ban meat export.

It was also announced that if these demands were not met by the government, the protesters will take their agitation to the streets and Ramlila Grounds.

In the letter addressed to Rajnath Singh Maulana Tauqeer Raza said that “We would like to express our apprehensions with respect to the atrocities, suppression and discrimination meted out to the Muslim minority, on the pretext of cow protection, beef eating…It is our humble submissions that the beef exports should completely be banned in India to curb the cruelty against the cattle, more particularly who give us dairy products. It is hoped that such action shall bring peace in the society. It is duty of the Government to protect the life of every citizen of India……..Government of India should bring a legislation to completely ban the slaughter of cows and calves. Muslims are not interested in eating beef.”

“The idea behind this protest is to take an initiative to make people aware and send a message to the government about so-called cow protectors, since the ‘holy cow’ is being used to propagate hatred and target Muslims and Dalits,” said IMC.

Also speaking at the event were Mufti Mukarram Ahmad, Shahi Imam, Masjid Fatehpuri and film actor Raza Murad.