The Times Of India
Pervez Iqbal Siddiqui, May 12, 2011, 05.49am IST
Lucknow:
Support continued to pour in for Jain priest Muni Maitri Prabh Sagar Maharaj of Bada Gaon Jain temple (Baghpat), as his fast-untodeath protesting against issuing of licences for eight new slaughter houses in the region, entered the 15th day on Wednesday.
Protestors were joined by delegates from across the country, who pledged their support to the cause. Apart from various local organisations, volunteers from Ahinsa Samaj (Meerut), Mumbai's Amrit Math, Dr SC Ramaswami from Kerala and Gaurakhsha chief Pradeep Pandey also came out with their support to the movement after meeting Muni Maitri Prabh Sagar Maharaj. The growing impact of the campaign was reflected in the bandh that was called in Meerut on Tuesday to protest against the new slaughter houses.
Locals described the bandh as unparallel, as petty general stores and even pan shop owners pulled down their shutters late on Tuesday evening, to express their solidarity with the protestors.
Led by the Jain priest, scores of social outfits, animal lovers and non government organisations (NGO) have been protesting for more than a month against the licenses issued for eight new slaughter houses by the government a fortnight ago.
Protestors insist that the eight new slaughter houses would result in around 20,000 more animals being slaughtered everyday in the region, which means many animals being subjected to cruelty during transportation. The existing slaughter houses have been repeatedly accused of blatant violation of norms in place for rearing, upkeep and health of the hapless animals killed to mint money.
The protestors say that the industry fetches hardly anything for the government in terms of revenue, as compared to what it drains away from the state. But, the authorities continue to look the other way round merely to oblige a few for vested interests. "The manner in which critically ill animals are kept and killed cannot be allowed to continue unchecked. The government will have to make a move in this regard," said Dr Sushil Misra, an animal lover from Meerut who visited Muni Maitri Prabh Sagar on Tuesday.
After an the initial indifference, the Baghpat administration was compelled to act after Muni Maitri Sagar's condition began to deteriorate on the 10th day of his fast unto death. Authorities tried to convince him to withdraw from the protest, but failed. There after a team of doctors led by chief medical officer (CMO) Baghpat Dr M A Arya was constituted to examine the Jain priest after every eight hours. On Wednesday, doctors expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the protesting priest after they found his blood pressure dipping to 66/78 with a pulse rate of 70 and body weight of 43 kilograms. Incharge of the Baraut community health centre (CHC) Dr Chetanya Maheshwari, who himself examined the Jain priest, expressed concern over the deterioration in his health.
"His (Jain priest's) body is drying up and can cause irreversible damage to vital organs like kidneys," Dr Maheshwari said.