Bhopal: For decades, the ruling BJP and its ideological fountainhead RSS, have espoused the cause of cows and demanded for a nationwide ban on cow slaughter.
The capital of BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, however, is currently witnessing major protests by right-wing Hindu groups, as well as the opposition Congress, over the alleged slaughter of cows at a slaughterhouse in the city.
The controversy erupted on December 17, 2025, after activists of saffron outfits such as Sanskriti Bachao Manch and Hindu Utsav Samiti intercepted a truck carrying over 25 tonnes of meat near the state police headquarters in Jahangirabad, alleging that the consignment was cow meat.
While a doctor of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation, Beni Prasad Gaur, initially certified the seized consignment as buffalo meat, a subsequent forensic examination at the Veterinary College laboratory in Mathura confirmed that it was meat of a cow or its progeny, the slaughter and sale of which are banned and invite stringent punishment in Madhya Pradesh.
Subsequent police probe into the matter revealed that the seized meat was linked to a BMC-operated (on PPP model) slaughterhouse in the city's Jinsi area. The concerned slaughterhouse is only permitted to slaughter buffalo and now cows or their progeny.
Following the revelations about the seized meat being cow or its progeny meat and it being linked to the slaughterhouse, the concerned facility in Jinsi locality was sealed by the BMC on January 9.
In the latest development on Tuesday, Madhya Pradesh Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said the Bhopal Municipal Corporation has been directed to immediately suspend doctor Beni Prasad Gaur.
The minister also asked the BMC to conduct an in-depth probe, while the police carried out its investigation in the case, including possibility of collusion of some insiders/staffers of the civic body in the entire matter. At the time of the seizure of the meat, the police had reportedly arrested two persons in connection with the case.
Massive protests are taking place on the streets of Bhopal, not just by the right-wing Hindu groups, but also by the opposition Congress activists, accusing the BJP and the state government, of being hand in gloves with those involved in cow slaughter and illegal transport of cow meat.
On Monday and Tuesday, activists of the Bajrang Dal and Karni Sena and other saffron outfits protested on the issue.
“Our sentiments have been hurt. We will not tolerate this. A memorandum is being submitted to the CM, demanding action,” said Bhanu Hindu of the Jai Maa Bhavani Hindu Organisation.
The protestors are now demanding that the modern slaughterhouse which started in October 2025, be demolished. As per informed sources, meanwhile, there is a possibility of action soon against the properties of Aslam ‘Chamda’ Qureshi, who is the alleged prime accused in the case. Informed sources that Aslam might only be the face of the illegal trade and some big players wielding major clout in the state could actually be behind him.
The anger on the issue isn’t just visible on Bhopal’s streets, but has percolated into the BMC as well. On Tuesday, opposition Congress corporators created a commotion on the issue and accused the BJP-ruled BMC and city’s mayor Malti Rai of overlooking the issue, despite the party corporators having raised their concerns on it since December.
“We’ve been continuously trying to bring the matter to everyone’s notice since December, but it has fallen on deaf ears. Still if no action is initiated, we will be forced to take strong action,” the BMC’s leader of opposition (LoP) S Zaki said.
Not just the Congress, but a BJP corporator Devendra Bhargava also raised the issue and threatened to quit as the corporator, if sternest possible action isn’t initiated by the Corporation. “I am saddened that this happened in our city. It’s shameful that this happened right under our noses. I have given the corporation a deadline if no action is taken, I will resign,” he said.
The BMC chairman and BJP leader Kishan Suryavanshi, the mayor Malti Rai and local MLA and state’s cabinet minister Vishwas Sarang, maintained, “No one needs to resign. Strict action is being ensured. No one will be spared in cases of beef or cow slaughter. Whether it’s a trader or an officer, if anyone is found guilty, the strictest possible action will be taken. The Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has given clear and strict instructions on this matter.”
However, amid the continuing protests on the burning issue, there are unconfirmed inputs that meat from the concerned slaughterhouse was being exported to the Gulf countries, among them the UAE, via Maharashtra and Chennai.