‘We were given sweets on Eid and then beaten with sticks after Eid. What kind of message is this?’
ALIGARH/NEW DELHI – Four Muslim men were nearly lynched by self-styled cow protectors in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh over the weekend. The victims, identified as meat traders from the Pasmanda Muslim community, were attacked in Alhadpur area while transporting meat. Following the brutal assault, members of the Pasmanda Muslim community have come out strongly, warning that such violence is harming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to reach out to them.
So far, four people have been arrested in the case, while police claim they are conducting raids to catch the remaining attackers. However, Pasmanda Muslim leaders have criticised both the administration and Hindu organisations linked to the assault, saying the incident reflects growing insecurity among Muslims in Uttar Pradesh.
At a press conference in Lucknow, Anees Mansoori, the National President of the Pasmanda Muslim Society, condemned the incident and demanded immediate action.
“There was no beef found in the vehicle, as confirmed in the report. Then why were innocent people attacked?” he asked.
Mansoori warned that the patience of Pasmanda Muslims was running out. “If the government does not take strong action against the attackers, we will be forced to protest across the state. We are Muslims, but we are also voters. Don’t forget that.”
He went further to say, “These cow protectors are not helping PM Modi. They are harming him. Modi is trying to win the hearts of Pasmanda Muslims by offering schemes and help, but these people are burning that bridge with every attack.”
The BJP has recently made several attempts to engage with Pasmanda Muslims, a socially and economically backward section of the Muslim population. On Eid, the party even distributed “Modi Kits” to members of the community in some districts, aiming to show goodwill.
But the timing of this violent incident has raised many questions. “We were given sweets on Eid and then beaten with sticks after Eid. What kind of message is this?” said Mohammad Shadab Qureshi, National General Secretary of the Qureshi Society.
Qureshi, whose community is traditionally engaged in the meat trade, accused the government of turning a blind eye to the sufferings of Muslim meat workers.
“Since the BJP came to power, our people have lost jobs. We are being targeted just because of our profession. Where should we go? What should we do?” he asked.
According to witnesses, the four Muslim men were transporting goat meat from a nearby village to the Aligarh city market. They had all the necessary documents and licences. But in Alhadpur, a group of men from a local Hindu organisation stopped the vehicle. Without checking facts, they accused the traders of transporting beef and started beating them.
Locals said the attackers were shouting slogans and filming the violence. “They were not asking questions; they were just hitting,” said a shopkeeper who witnessed the incident but did not want to be named.
One of the victims was badly injured and had to be admitted to the hospital. The police reached the spot after an hour, by which time the mob had partially dispersed.
Aligarh police confirmed the arrest of four accused. “We are investigating the case, and more arrests will be made soon,” a senior police official said.
But Muslim leaders say this is not enough.
“How can such attacks happen again and again, and still the police act so slowly? Why is the state leadership silent?” said Irshad Malik, a local social worker.
He added, “The attackers knew what they were doing. They filmed it. They thought nothing would happen to them. That is the real danger.”
The Qureshi community, which is heavily involved in legal meat trading and butchery work, has faced growing difficulties since the BJP government began closing slaughterhouses in the name of cow protection.
Many members have lost jobs and are living in fear. “Even if we sell goat meat, they accuse us of killing cows. If we carry meat with full legal documents, they still beat us,” said Shoaib Qureshi, a meat trader from Aligarh.
He added, “The government talks about development, but what development is this? We cannot even do our legal work.”
Qureshi also mentioned that meat traders are often unable to get loans or support from government schemes due to their profession. “They say they want to help Pasmanda Muslims, but then they treat us like criminals,” he said.
While the Pasmanda Muslim leadership has been vocal, mainstream political parties have reacted with caution. The local BJP unit has not made any official comment on the incident.
However, a Samajwadi Party spokesperson criticised the government, saying, “The BJP talks about Pasmanda Muslims before elections, but lets its supporters beat them in broad daylight.”
Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui told reporters, “This is not the first such attack, and sadly, it may not be the last. The government must stop this madness.”
Local Congress leader Asif Jafri said, “The Modi government is playing a double game. On one side, they send Eid kits, and on the other, they allow attacks on Muslims.”
Community leaders say the goal of these attacks is not just about cow protection but about creating fear.
“They are trying to show us our place. They want Muslims to feel afraid to go out, to do business, to live with dignity,” said Dr Shaista Parveen, a professor in Aligarh.
She added, “It’s not just about meat. It’s about hate.”
Dr Parveen urged civil society to speak out. “This is not just a Muslim issue. It’s a human issue.”
Many Pasmanda Muslims say they are tired of empty promises. “We don’t want gifts. We want safety,” said Zameer Mansoori, a young community organiser from Lucknow.
He said the community is grateful for schemes like scholarships and housing, but those don’t mean much if people are getting killed. “How can we study or build homes if we are being beaten on the streets?” he asked.
Videos and images from the attack have gone viral, with many social media users expressing outrage.
“This is not cow protection, this is open terrorism,” one user tweeted.
Another wrote, “Don’t let this become normal. Raise your voice.”
Several rights organisations have also issued statements. The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) said, “The government must take responsibility and stop this pattern of mob attacks.”
Perhaps the strongest message came from within the Pasmanda Muslim community itself, which Prime Minister Modi has often mentioned in his speeches as needing upliftment.
“If the prime minister is serious about us, then let him show it now,” said Anees Mansoori. “We are waiting.”
He added, “If he remains silent, then we will know that the killers are more important than the victims.”
This is not the first time Muslim meat traders or transporters have been attacked. Several such incidents have been reported across northern India in recent years, especially in BJP-ruled states.
In most cases, the attackers are linked to Hindu groups who accuse Muslims of cow slaughter without proof. Sometimes, even when police reports show no beef was involved, the victims are not given justice.
Human rights groups say these incidents are part of a dangerous trend. “It’s mob rule. And it’s always the same target: poor Muslims,” said activist Javed Hashmi from Delhi.
The Aligarh incident has once again brought attention to the double standards in law enforcement and the growing gap between the government’s words and actions.
Will the attackers be punished? Will the government stop such groups? Or will this case fade from public memory, like so many others?
