That Muslim faux outrage (with very real rioting) can be provoked under the most frivolous of the circumstances is not news. Still, they somehow seem to be getting sillier by the day, to the point it is becoming harder and harder to tell if the most recent incident was a mere figment of The Onion’s imagination or not. But this one, as it happens, looks genuine:
BHOPAL: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (Peta) first shot at religious activism — a call to Muslims to observe a vegetarian Eid this October — has misfired. It met with violent protests here on Monday.
As a matter of context, the “Eid” here is shorthand for the Eid Al-Adha, one of Islam’s two universally celebrated annual festivities (the other being Eid Al-Fitr). To be brief, Eid Al-Adha is the celebration of Abraham, the patriarch of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, attempting to sacrifice his son to God, and God at the last moment telling him “Just kidding! Sacrifice a lamb instead”. (Why anyone would think attempted filicide is something to commemorate and celebrate is beyond me). As such, on this day, ritualistic killing and eating of animals is a hallowed tradition among Muslims in many parts of the world. And may no one ever make the mistake of trying to persuade Muslims to change their ways!
Peta woman volunteer “Benazir Suraiya” attempted to make an appeal to Muslims to go vegetarian at the legendary Taj-ul-Masajid, said to be one of Asia’s largest mosques.
Camouflaged in a green hijab, to highlight the importance of vegetarianism, she walked towards the mosque gates with a couple of PETA volunteers holding a placard in Urdu and English which read: “Make Eid Happy for All. Try Vegan”.
Bad idea.
With less than a dozen policemen deployed, locals took the opportunity and shouted slogans asking her to turn back. She was forced to take cover along with another PETA volunteer in the market outside the mosque. Within minutes the crowd swelled and Suraiya was left to fend for herself as PETA supporters fled the scene. [The bravery!]
Police whisked away Suraiya to an undisclosed location. No arrests have been reported.
PETA representative Grishma Mytra refused to take calls when contacted for a comment. The group urging Muslims not to perform animal sacrifice and donate the same instead for welfare of animals and people, did not go down well with the Muslim community which is gearing up to celebrate the festival in the first week of October.
Of course it wouldn’t go down well! Because keeping a ritual alive matters more to Muslims that welfare of animals and people. Had PETA asked me, they wouldn’t have to learn the hard way!
“We are offended by this move of PETA. It is an insensible move which should have been stopped by the district administration, before it took place. This is a direct attack on our religious beliefs,” said protestor Naved Khan.
I know dear, you are pros at finding things to get offended at. May your talents win you the gold medal!
