Cannot prevent harassment: Patil

Maharashtra home minister R.R. Patil expressed his inability to redress the complaints of slaughterhouse owners allegedly being harassed by Right-wing organisations while transporting animals for sacrificing during the festival of Bakr-e-Id. Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Monday had called a high-level meeting to review the preparations for Bakr-e-Id festival that would be celebrated on October 16. It was attended by the home minister, minority affairs minister Arif Naseem Khan, Muslim MLAs from the city, representatives of NGOs and other senior officers from various departments. Slaughterhouse owners’ representatives told the CM and home minister that Right-wing organisations harassed them while transporting animals. They alleged that activists of these organisations stop as well as check their vehicles, sources said. According to the sources, Mr Patil said, “As you are complaining of harassment, they complaint against you of flouting rules and regulations while transporting the animals. Hence, the police is confused what to do.”