A large procession, dominated by saffron, was taken out on the streets of Harohalli on the outskirts of Bengaluru against the construction of an abattoir in the area. Though the area has seen protests on and off for years citing environmental concerns, this time it was led by Raghaveshwara Bharathi, seer of Ramachandrapura Mutt, known for his cow-protection zeal.
The daylong protest in the area on Friday saw him accompanied by several seers from other mutts.
“Our protest is against the slaughterhouse as it poses a problem for the entire area. It is illegal as there are several loopholes in the project. Nobody here has given their approval. If the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) goes ahead with it, we will lay siege to the BBMP office; we are ready to go to court,” Mr. Raghaveshwara Bharathi said. He added that he would oppose it “if there is a proposal to establish a cow slaughterhouse anywhere”.
The proposal to start an abattoir here dates back to 1997, when environmentalist B. Krishna Bhat filed a Public Interest Litigation petition in the High Court seeking relocation of slaughterhouses on Tannery Road. In 2002, the High Court ordered that all abattoirs should be shifted outside city limits. The government allotted 38 acres in Harohalli Industrial Area in 2009 for the purpose.
The BBMP entered into an agreement with Chennai-based Capri Meat House Pvt. Ltd. for a modern abattoir in 2012. Then in 2015, Harohalli residents held a week-long hunger strike against the abattoir. Last year, a PIL plea filed before the Supreme Court questioning the abattoir was dismissed on the grounds that it was premature to argue that it would pollute the area before it becomes operational. The agitation being taken over by a seer on a cow protection plank appears to have left the BBMP baffled. Incidentally, K.S. Eshwarappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council and BJP leader, also participated in the protest.
Mayor G. Padmavathi, said, “Let us remember it was approved in 2012 by the BJP. Now, the same party is opposing it. The structure is 75% complete and it is an approved project waiting for administrative nod. It is now taking a political turn,” she said. She refused to commit on whether the abattoir will start running as scheduled. “It is now a sensitive issue; I will consult the Chief Minister,” she added
