Beef not bad for health but Quran is against slaughtering of milk giving animals, says Shahid Siddiqui

Gujarat Government has sparked off a new controversy with posters urging Muslims not to eat beef while quoting a verse from Quran that says that beef is bad for health.

Photo: Patrika

Shahid Siddiqui, former Member of Parliament on 8 September rubbished the claims of the Gujarat Government board of the Holy Quran calling beef bad for health.

"As far as I know, the Holy Quran does not say anything of this sort. It is a different thing that all the ancient Muslim leaders believed that cows should not be killed if it hurts the sentiments of other people," said Siddiqui.

Yesterday, billboards with pictures of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and the Islamic symbol of the crescent moon and star came up in an Ahmedabad locality with a message from the Gauseva and Gauchar Vikas Board of the Gujarat government, quoting a verse it claims is from the Quran to back its case for the protection of the cow.

The verse on the billboard "Akramul Bakra Fainaha Saiyedul Bahaima" has been translated as "Show respect to cows as it is the leader of all bovines. Its milk, ghee and butter have therapeutic properties and its meat is the cause of several diseases.''

Siddiqui however mentioned what the Holy Quran actually said about cows. "The Quran says that milk giving animals must not be cut," added Siddiqui.

The Gauseva and Gauchar Vikas Board website says the Gauseva Ayog, created in 1999 and expanded to Gauseva and Gauchar Vikas Board in 2012, was "established for preservation, development and welfare of the cow and its progeny". It is under the aegis of the Agriculture and Cooperation Department, Gujarat government.

(With inputs from ANI)