Muslim meat sellers strike in India over attacks by Hindu extremist mobs
Beef prices surge as Hindu extremist cow vigilantes assault traders, choke cattle trade, and face no response from Indian authorities
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Muslim meat traders across India’s Maharashtra state have launched a widespread strike, protesting violent assaults by Hindu extremist cow vigilantes that have paralyzed cattle markets and triggered a sharp spike in beef prices.
The boycott, which has shut down over 200 livestock markets, has severely disrupted the supply chain to slaughterhouses. Mumbai’s largest facility at Deonar is now facing closure due to the shortage.
According to Urdu daily Inquilab, wholesale beef prices have jumped more than 20%, with bone-in meat now selling between 400 and 420 Indian rupees per kilogram and boneless cuts nearing 500.
Traders say they are being routinely attacked by Hindu extremist mobs under the guise of “cow protection”—despite possessing valid documentation for livestock transport. Vehicles are seized, drivers are beaten, and cattle are forcibly taken, often with local police turning a blind eye.
“This is economic warfare masked as religious vigilantism,” said one trader. “No one is safe on the roads anymore. The government remains silent while we’re targeted for our identity.”
At the center of the crisis is Section 13 of Maharashtra’s 2015 amended animal preservation law, which community leaders say empowers vigilantes by offering them legal cover. “This provision has unleashed unchecked violence,” said Mohammad Umar Ansari of the Qureshi Welfare Association. “It must be repealed to end the mob rule.”
The impact goes beyond the meat trade. Farmers who rely on selling aging livestock to fund crop planting are left with no buyers. Export contracts are in jeopardy. And ordinary consumers are now paying inflated prices for beef as retail vendors begin raising prices amid shortages.
Despite the growing crisis, Indian authorities have offered no response. No government negotiations have been initiated. Muslim traders say the silence from officials is not just indifference—it’s complicity.
The strike, now entering its fourth week, is no longer just about economics. It is a protest against a broader climate of Hindu supremacist violence that continues to escalate under state protection. If unaddressed, the fallout may spread from slaughterhouses and farms to India’s export economy and food security.
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