Even before the arrival of Bakrid festival in the country, the atmosphere has heated up in three states Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. At some places there were bloody clashes in the housing societies over goats and at other places the fire broke out due to the statements of the leaders. At the same time, the UP government has imposed strict restrictions to maintain law and order. Apart from this, the atmosphere regarding Bakrid became heated in many states. Come, let us understand the issues of these states in detail…
Maharashtra: Bloody conflict over goats in Mira Road society
There was a huge uproar on Monday night regarding the sacrifice of Bakrid in Poonam Cluster-1 Housing Society located in Mira Road area of Thane district of Maharashtra. The dispute escalated so much that knives were used, Hanuman Chalisa was recited, a piglet was brought to protest and in the end more than 200 policemen had to be deployed.
There are more than 550 flats in this society, in which many Muslim families live. For the past few years, Muslim families here have been bringing sacrificial goats for Bakrid and tying them up by building temporary sheds in the society premises. A local resident told The Indian Express, ‘This has been happening in the society for many years. Goats are tied up and sacrificed, but some people have a problem with it and a similar issue happened last time too. This time the situation became worse.
At around 10 pm on Monday night, some residents called local Bajrang Dal leader Pawan Thakur and other workers to intervene in the society. About two hours later, Bajrang Dal official Nagnath Kamble also arrived with supporters. At around 12:50 am, an unknown person allegedly tried to attack Nagnath Kamble with a knife from behind. On the complaint of Harsh Singh, an FIR was registered against the unknown attacker at Kashimira police station. During the protest, some workers also allegedly tried to bring a piglet into the society premises, and named it ‘Varaha Puja’. Later the police reached the spot, seized the pig and brought the situation under control.
BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay said, ‘A Muslim family lives in Sumer Heights, Borivali, but they brought six goats. The entire society is against him. Same thing is happening in Mira Road also. If the minority community does not accept the Constitution and follows Sharia, then we will answer the goats with pigs. Deputy Commissioner Rahul Chavan said that after the meeting with both the parties, all 51 goats were loaded into Municipal Corporation vehicles and taken out of the society.
Rajasthan: BJP MLA’s threat to ‘cut his tongue’
Before Bakrid in Rajasthan, a statement by BJP MLA Balmukund Acharya created a political storm. Acharya, MLA from Jaipur’s Hawamahal seat, threatened West Bengal TMC MLA Humayun Kabir and said that if he talked about sacrificing a cow or a camel, ‘his tongue would be cut off.’
Acharya also said, ‘I advise the Muslim community to celebrate Bakrid by cutting cakes instead of sacrificing animals. Every animal also has a family and has the right to live. Defending his threatening language, he said, ‘If Humayun Kabir’s statement on cow is true, then his threat to cut off my tongue is also not wrong.’
This is not the first time that Balmukund Acharya is embroiled in some controversy. In February 2026, he had raised the demand in the Rajasthan Assembly to give the status of ‘State Mother’ to the cow, after which the House was adjourned seven times.
Uttar Pradesh: Yogi government’s strict restrictions and tension in Malihabad
In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued strict instructions before Bakrid. The government has completely banned the sacrifice of animals in public places and has also banned the sacrifice of banned animals. Also, orders have been given to offer Namaz only at traditional and designated places. There will be no permission to offer Namaz on the streets. Apart from this, instructions have also been given to take strict action against illegal slaughterhouses.
The government has deployed additional police forces in sensitive districts. Surveillance has been increased to keep an eye on rumors and inflammatory posts on social media.
Lucknow There is a situation of tension in Malihabad area also before Bakrid. Hindu organizations protested against the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa at a disputed site, after which the police had to deploy a large number of forces there too. In Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, the police force is fully prepared, while in Rajasthan, the administration is alert amid the controversial statements of the leaders.
Not only in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, but in many other states of the country too, tension and administrative bustle had increased even before Bakrid.
West Bengal: Controversy over ban on cow sacrifice
In West Bengal also, political temperature rose before Bakrid. The state government ordered strict implementation of the Animal Slaughter Control Act of 1950. Under this, no cow or buffalo can be sacrificed without the permission of the government veterinarian. Calcutta High Court also made it clear that sacrificing cow on Eid-ul-Azha (Bakrid) is not an essential part of Islam.
Karnataka: Farmers’ demonstration and controversial banner in Hassan
The situation became very tense in Hassan district of Karnataka. Here local Muslim organizations announced boycott of buying animals for Bakrid. This decision spread anger among cattle herders and dairy farmers. Angered by the lack of buyers at the weekly cattle fair, hundreds of farmers demonstrated and threatened to go straight to the Deputy Commissioner’s office with their cattle.
The reason behind this decision of Muslim organizations was also shocking. Their representative Anshad-e-Palya said that intimidating posters were put up in many Muslim-dominated areas, in which there was a threat of confiscation of house and land for buying animals. The police and administration denied putting up any such posters. Banners put up in Hassan city warned of ‘permanent confiscation of all property’ if cattle are slaughtered.
Telangana: VHP’s complaint to the Governor and BJP’s demonstration
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Telangana met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and demanded to stop illegal slaughter of cows. VHP alleged that illegal transportation of cows is taking place on a large scale in the state ahead of Bakrid and the police are allegedly helpless under the pressure of MIM leaders. The Governor assured VHP of taking action within their constitutional ambit.
Meanwhile, Telangana BJP President N. Ramachandra Rao opened a front against the arrest of cow protectors. BJP warned that if the cow protectors were not released, a major agitation would be launched in the entire state.
Delhi: Opposition attacks strict guidelines
The BJP government in the national capital Delhi has also issued strict guidelines for Bakrid. Minister Kapil Mishra said that the sacrifice of banned animals – cow, calf and camel – will be completely illegal. Buying and selling of animals cannot take place in public places and sacrifice can be done only at registered places.
The opposition targeted the BJP government on these guidelines. Congress leader Pawan Kheda said, ‘All this is being done to spoil the atmosphere and spread hatred. Laws already exist in every state. Which camel and cow are sacrificed in Delhi? Samajwadi Party also demanded the formation of a religious committee on this issue, saying that unilateral decisions only lead to problems.
Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand: Administration fully alert
The administration also made tight security arrangements in Kushinagar district of Madhya Pradesh. The District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police called a meeting of the Peace Committee and appealed to the religious leaders for cooperation. At the same time, Jharkhand DGP Tadasha Mishra ordered police officers of all 24 districts to be on high alert, especially in those districts where communal incidents have taken place earlier.
After all, why so much ruckus on the festival of Bakrid?
There are 4 major reasons for this uproar:
- Legal ban on cow slaughter and festival clash: There is already a legal ban on the slaughter of cows and other milch animals in most of the states of the country and the sensitivity regarding these laws increases every year during Bakrid. This time the matter reached the Supreme Court and Calcutta High Court. A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court demanding strict enforcement of anti-cow slaughter laws, however, the court refused to hear it immediately just before the festival.
- Administrative strictness and politics on it: Many state governments have issued strict guidelines regarding Bakrid. in Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath The government banned prayers on the streets and sacrifices in public places. Delhi government also declared the sacrifice of cow, calf and camel illegal. On these orders, opposition parties accused the government of ‘spreading communal hatred’. Congress leader Pawan Kheda raised the question, ‘Which camels and cows are sacrificed in Delhi?’ Along with this, the controversial banner put up in Hassan, Karnataka warned of ‘confiscation of property’ if animals are slaughtered. This made the atmosphere more heated.
- Activism and demonstrations of right-wing Hindu organizations: VHP and Bajrang Dal workers demonstrated against the keeping of goats in a housing society in Mira Road area of Mumbai and recited Hanuman Chalisa in the society premises. In another controversy, activists associated with the same organizations tried to bring a pig in the society and named it ‘Varaha Puja’, which made the matter worse. At the same time, in Hassan district of Karnataka, local Muslim organizations announced boycott of buying cattle, due to which there was huge anger among the cattle rearers and dairy farmers and they took to the streets and demonstrated.
- Salt on wounds due to inflammatory statements of leaders: The statements of leaders of various political parties added fuel to the fire. TMC MLA in West Bengal Humayun Kabir said, ‘There will be sacrifices under all circumstances’, while Rajasthan BJP MLA Balmukund Acharya threatened to ‘cut off Kabir’s tongue’ and advised Muslims to celebrate by ‘cutting cake’. In Maharashtra, BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay talked about ‘answering goats with pigs’. These inflammatory statements and aggressive demonstrations have created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among the common citizens, because the religious right of sacrifice now seems to be surrounded by direct laws, administrative strictness and political rhetoric.
