As Eid ul Adha 2026 approaches, Indian authorities have issued sweeping restrictions on how Muslims can celebrate the festival, sparking a fierce debate about religious freedom in the country.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chaired a high-level law and order meeting, directing officials to strictly enforce measures, including a ban on animal sacrifice at public places and a prohibition on road blockades for Eid prayers.
The CM reiterated the strict prohibition on sacrificing banned animals, including cows, camels, and calves, in line with existing legal provisions, and ordered firm action against any illegal slaughterhouses operating in the state.
On Eid prayers, the message was equally firm. Yogi Adityanath said people should offer namaz in shifts if space is limited, but not on roads, stating that public spaces cannot be blocked in the name of religious activities.
The restrictions were not limited to UP alone. In Delhi, Development Minister Kapil Mishra warned that the sacrifice of cows, calves, camels, and other prohibited animals is completely illegal, and criminal cases will be registered against violators.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami issued similar state-wide directives, mandating that Eid prayers be confined strictly to designated mosques and Eidgahs, with any disruption or blocking of public roads not to be tolerated.
To enforce compliance, authorities deployed extra police, CCTV cameras, and drone surveillance across sensitive areas throughout Uttar Pradesh.
Muslim groups have raised concerns, calling the restrictions selective and an interference in their religious practices. The orders have intensified the ongoing debate in India over the treatment of its Muslim minority under BJP-governed states.
