Anil Anand
Intricate issues need careful handling and when the subject is as sensitive as cow slaughter ban utmost caution should be the principle even while mentioning the issue. There is no room for an insensitive approach to something which is abhorred by one religion while the followers of some other faiths have beef-eating as part of their menu. The entire issue borders sensitivity of religious beliefs so need for greater caution.
A slight mishandling, knowingly or unknowingly, and the moral brigade would certainly be out to pronounce judgements within no time. But if the connotations happen to be political the outcome is certainly going to be even more grave and beyond anyone’s imagination.
Certain jarring notes had been emanating from different corners of the country over the months, related to controversy over cow slaughter ban. Politicians and political parties have a knack of fomenting, exploiting and encashing upon situations which provide them an easy route to electoral successes. Unfortunately the faith related issues become a potent weapon in their hands to raise passions and exploit sentiments.
The incident of lynching of middle aged Mohammed Ikhlaq and grievously injuring his son by an unruly mob in Dadri located in the outskirts of Delhi following a rumour that the family had stored beef in their refrigerator, has to be seen and studied in this context. The idea here is not to blame anyone till the investigation is over and the jury is finally out with a verdict, but to ponder over the repercussions of politicising and mishandling the sensitive issues.
Dadri has happened and in a different context Jammu and Kashmir (regions) are currently sitting on a power-keg over a similar dispute related to cow slaughter ban. Naturally, the knives are already out and some genuine and mostly vested interests of different hues and religious colouring in the two zones have raised the decibels to a level which if not checked tactfully, has the potential to explode.
Given the serious situation created by Dadri mishap, it has become imperative that J&K is prevented at all costs from heading in a similar direction. There is no denying the fact that the Directive Principles of State enshrined in the Constitution provide for a cow slaughter ban and it is a known fact that such a provision existed in the Ranbir Panel Code (akin to IPC in rest of the country) from the times of erstwhile Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. But the problem arose afresh primarily due to political contradictions inbuilt into the current ruling alliance in the state.
This is on account of varied perceptions and mishandling at initial stages that the matter has finally been referred by the same state government to the Supreme Court. This has become an easy way for the incumbent governments and the political parties to wriggle out and pass the buck on to the courts for a final adjudication.
The ruling BJP-PDP alliance- by their own assertion- were best placed to resolve such ticklish issues of far reaching consequences. They had justified their coming together on the premise that they represent divergent regions and religious groups and that it was their best chance to try and resolve contradictions faced by the two regions and state as a whole during the last seven decades.
Despite other differences the issue of cow slaughter would have been the first major case for the two alliance partners to test their respective strengths on the extremely complicated social firmament of the state. The challenge for them should have been to find an amicable way out and not sending the matter to the court on the sly.
There is an unfortunate part to the story as to why such sensitive issues are allowed to be raked up by the political dispensations particularly the ruling ones. This trend has been more predominant in Jammu and Kashmir over the decades as has been in other parts of the country as well with political parties of all colours using the tactic to either win elections are remain saddled in power during the patches of instability.
The Dadri incident apparently falls in the first category while the controversy engulfing Jammu and Kashmir is of the political instability brand. In times of shakiness such situations prove handy for diverting attention from the incumbent government’s failures to deliver. It provides an equal opportunity to the political rivals as well to hit back. The resultant situation becomes more serious than what the miseries brought by the mal administration of a government or its failure to deliver could do.
For the time being the state government has managed to buy peace though temporarily as it has referred the matter to the Supreme Court, on its own. But it does not mean that the stray elements would stay quiet and are already flexing their muscles brandishing their respective agendas.
Sanity lies in the leaders of the two ruling alliance partners closing their ranks and calm the peripheral groupings itching to create problem. Sensitive problems would sometimes require drastic measures and the powers that be should not shy from taking such steps.
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