Growing intolerance: Graffiti on Mumbai wall asks for beef eaters to be hanged

The writing on the wall of the flyover opposite Raheja Complex in a Mumbai suburb is clear – beef eaters are not welcome. The messages on the wall range from advice about remaining vegetarian to instigating ones that calls for the hanging of all the beef eaters. This comes almost a month after a Muslim man was lynched by a mob in Dadri tehsil of Uttar Pradesh for allegedly slaughtering a cow. Earlier this month situation in Kashmir was tense after a truck driver was attacked with a petrol bomb in Udhampur following rumours of cow slaughter.

In March this year, Maharashtra Government banned cow slaughter and the possession of beef is a punishable offence. 

When this iamin reporter spoke to the local, many of them said that it was wise to go with the wishes of the majority.

Manohar Mishra who recently moved to Mumbai from Patna, “I don't think that it is right to kill any animal. But hanging someone for slaughtering a cow is not right. Why talk only about the cow and not about people who kill other animals?" 

Another resident, who works at a nearby temple on the condition of anonymity, said, “Is India not called Hindustan? It is a place where Hindus live. Every country has its own culture so this is understandable. However, I would not go as far as saying that someone must be hanged for cow slaughter."

Though no one knows who is behind the messages, the local youth are not surprised by it.

Ruchit Inamdar, an IT professional, is of the opinion that freedom of speech cannot be curbed as well. "While there is freedom of speech at the same time I believe this matter has been stretched for too long. I am a vegetarian but I would never want a beef eating person to be hanged. If a cat eats mouse, you cannot hang the cat," Inamdar said.

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