High Court Cautions Against Communal Interpretation in Vishalgad Fort Animal Slaughter Ban Petition.
The Bombay High Court has reiterated its stance today on the prohibition of unregulated animal slaughter for any purpose or at any location, emphasizing the need to maintain hygiene.
The court addressed a petition challenging the recent ban on animal sacrifice within the protected area of the Vishalgad Fort in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. The petitioner, Hajrat Peer Malik Rehan Mir Saheb Dargah, a registered trust from Kolhapur, contested a communication issued by the Deputy Director of Archaeology and Museums to the Kolhapur District Collector, which prohibited animal slaughter within the fort’s vicinity.
The trust claimed that the authorities in Kolhapur were acting under the influence of right-wing Hindu fundamentalists. However, the court disapproved of attempts to give the case a communal slant and warned the trust’s attorney, advocate Satish Talekar, against doing so.
The trust’s petition alleged that certain right-wing organizations were creating disharmony and animosity between communities for political gain. It argued that the practice of animal sacrifice for food preparation in confined establishments had been allowed for years without objections. The trust further asserted that the current ruling dispensation, comprising the BJP and the Shiv Sena, banned animal sacrifice to appease communal sentiments.
The court declined advocate Talekar’s request for an injunction on the communication, stating that interim relief was not applicable in such situations. The court emphasized its commitment to preventing unregulated and unmonitored slaughter, citing the importance of maintaining proper hygiene and sanitation.
Additionally, the petition challenged communications sent to the Superintendent of Kolhapur Police and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Kolhapur Zilla Parishad, asserting that animal sacrifices were taking place in the protected area of Vishalgad Fort. The communications were issued in accordance with the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, which prohibits food preparation in the protected area.
The court referred to a 1998 ruling by the Aurangabad division of the Bombay High Court, which prohibited animal sacrifices in public property in the name of gods and deities, and expressed concerns about the defacement of the monument and the potential impact on law and order in the area.
The trust’s contention that animal sacrifice was an age-old practice was addressed in the petition, but the court did not grant relief based on this argument.
