(India) Maneka Flayed for Remarks About Kashmiri Food Habits

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Maneka Flayed for Remarks About Kashmiri Food Habits

Kashmir Observer

 

Srinagar, December 21

 

Describing Menaka Gandhi as an ignorant person who had no idea of Kashmiris'

food habits, separatist as well as mainstream political parties here have

strongly condemned the statement of the former union minister and animal rights

champion. While terming the burning alive of a bear in Tral last week as inhuman

act, Maneka Gandhi, had said that people of Kashmir were hunting wild animals

for meat causing decline in populations of bears and leopards.

 

Taking strong exception to her statement about the people of the state eating

meat of wild animals, Minister for Forests and Wildlife, Qazi Muhammad Afzal has

said that, " People in Kashmir do eat meat but not of leopards and bears but

sheep and goat. With such remarks Maneka Gandhi has hurt the religious

sentiments of people here. "

 

The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman, Mohammed Yasin Malik, while

reminding Menaka of her statement that " Kashmiris deserved the treatment they

were meted out with " , asked her to correct her knowledge. National Conference

President, Omar Abdullah, also called termed Menaka's statement ridiculous while

senior separatist leader, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat advised her to restrain from

" making wild comments " . Hardline separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani,

termed it unfortunate and said " those who drank human blood had no right to

fight for animal rights. "

 

The political leaders were angry about the statement of Meneka Gandhi, a

crusader against animal rights violations, during a TV interview some days back.

 

Reacting to the statement, Bhat said " We do not eat beasts. If the woman does

not know about our food habits, she should not make such a wild comment. "

 

Condemning the statement strongly, JKLF Chairman, Mohammed Yasin Malik, said

that world is aware of the soft hearted nature of Kashmiris and their food

habits. He questioned Meneka why she raised such a hue and cry about animal

rights while she had been justifying the human rights violations in Kashmir.

 

" I asked Meneka Gandhi in 2002 why she kept silent about Human Rights violations

in Kashmir and championed the cause of animal rights? She replied that Kashmiris

deserved the treatment, " Malik stated in a press release issued in Srinagar this

evening.

 

JKLF chairman asked Meneka what moral ground she had in talking about animal

rights while she justifies human rights violations against women and children in

the valley. The Front accused Meneka of working under her father's influence who

was an ex-serviceman.

 

National Conference president, Omar Abdullah, terming Meneka Gandhi's statement

" ridiculous " said " It shows her ignorance. " The NC president said that he

himself was upset on seeing the images on TV but the statement was very

unfortunate.

 

Terming Meneka's statements baseless, chairman of the hard line faction of APHC,

Syed Ali Shah Geelani, said " Muslim's never go to jungles to kill wild animals.

The incidents of killing of wild animals have occurred when animals have strayed

into human areas and posed a threat. "

 

" The baseless statements are being made by people who have been drinking human

blood in Kashmir, " Geelani said.

 

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