Mathura, July 3, 2013: For Hindus, the cow is a holy animal. Devotees believe that Lord Krishna first appeared as a gentle cowherd, and that the animal is sacred to him.

In Mathura, a site in Uttar Pradesh that is regarded as Krishna's birthplace, temples maintain thousands of free-roaming cows, and visiting pilgrims pay obeisance to them.

Recently, however, there have been reports of Mathura cows being stolen, slaughtered and sold for meat and leather.

In a bid to maintain harmonious relations, local Muslims have now stepped in to help. At a special meeting at the Islamia Inter College campus on June 9th, with Hindu religious and community representatives in attendance, more than 500 Muslims vowed to help end cow rustling and slaughtering.

"All Muslims who took part in the convention pledged that they would protect the cows the way the Hindus want, and that no slaughtering of cows would be allowed in the region," convener Abdul Jabbar told Khabar South Asia. "Almost all Muslims in Mathura are not in the habit of eating cow meat."

Jabbar said outside gangs are responsible for stealing the cows and trucking them for slaughter in other states, thereby threatening communal peace in the region. "Our convention aimed to convey a strong signal that we are against the slaughtering of the cows and we care for Hindu religious sentiment," he said.

Hindus "heartily appreciate" pledge

Though eating beef rarely raises an eyebrow in other parts of the world, it remains a highly sensitive issue in Hindu-majority India. Though a small portion of people who eat beef in India are Christians and low-caste Hindus, it is Muslims who mostly consume beef.

And while cattle slaughter is banned in most Indian states including Uttar Pradesh, secret slaughter of the animal by Muslims there has been reported in the past.

Hindu activists expressed appreciation for the pledge from Muslims, calling it a bold and friendly step.

"The convention also shows that the Muslims in the region want a friendly relationship with the Hindus and they do not support any activity that holds potential to trigger communal tension between the two communities," said Sant Jai Krishan Maharaj, chief of Uttar Pradesh social and environmental activist group Yamuna Rakshak Dal.

"All Hindus of the country heartily appreciate this gesture of the Muslims of Mathura," he told Khabar.

Former director general of police and peace activist S.R. Darapuri agreed the convention should be viewed as a bold Muslim step to maintain communal harmony.

"We rarely hear Muslims making such pledge to go against the slaughtering of the cows. Such friendly step by a community contributes immensely to maintain peace in a communally sensitive society," Darapuri told Khabar. "As peace activists we welcome this bold and commendable pledge by the Muslims."

Source: Khabare Southeast Asia, DT. July 3, 2013.