In a controversial display of compassion, members of the Jain community in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, managed to save over 100 goats from being sacrificed during Eid al-Adha. The festival, celebrated by Muslims worldwide, involves the sacrifice of animals such as sheep, goats, cows, or camels, with the meat distributed to the needy and poor.
Led by a man named Vivek, the Jains devised a plan to ‘rescue’ the animals. “This is a powerful Jain mantra to bring peace and positivity,” Vivek explained, playing the mantras through speakers to calm the goats. “These goats are afraid because they think they have been gathered for slaughter. They don’t know we have given them a new lease of life.”
The Naya Jain Mandir in Dharampur buzzed with excitement, similar to the bustling goat markets ahead of Bakrid….
A team of 25 Jains carried out the plan, conducting surveys of areas where goats were sold. According to Chirag Jain, another community member, they posed as Muslim buyers to avoid suspicion and inflated prices. “Had they known we were non-Muslims, they would have sold the goats to us at a higher price, and we wanted to rescue as many goats as possible.”
After tough bargaining, the team managed to purchase the goats at an average price of Rs 10,000 each. The excitement was palpable as they successfully rescued over 100 goats. Funds were raised from across Gujarat, Punjab, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Hyderabad, with leftover money used to buy fodder.
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