Mumbai: A political uproar has broken out in Maharashtra following orders of a few municipal corporations for closure of slaughterhouses and meat shops in their jurisdiction on Independence Day Friday.
The decision, first taken by Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) and followed by civic bodies such as Malegaon, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, has drawn criticism not just from the opposition but surprised Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar too.
Speaking to the media, Pawar said Tuesday: “I saw this news on television. When it is a matter of devotion and faith, such bans are enforced. Be it Ashadhi Ekadashi or Mahavir Jayanti, selling of meat is prohibited. But in Konkan (cuisine), in every vegetable, meat, fish is used. So, such bans are not good.”
“If it is an emotional issue, I can understand. But banning meat on 15th of August in Maharashtra is not appropriate. I will take more information on this,” he added
It was on Sunday that KDMC commissioner Abhinav Goel issued a notice stating that all slaughterhouses and shops of licensed butchers of goat, sheep, chicken and large animals must remain closed for 24 hours from midnight of 14 August till midnight of 15 August. The civic body warned of action under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, if any animal was slaughtered or meat sold in the specified period.
The commissioner stated that the decision was taken in view of the long-standing resolution to make sure public order is maintained and observed on national occasions.
Following the uproar against the order, KDMC officials told the media that the civic body had been issuing the order for the last 15 years and while slaughter houses were shut, there was no ban on eating meat on Independence Day as such.
Lashing out against the order, NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad said: “This is too much. Who are you to decide what people will eat and when? What are they trying to prove? How much hatred will they spread? The government first tried to have division over caste and creed. Now, they want to divide society based on veg and non-veg.” He added that he had vowed to have meat on the day.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray too slammed the decision. Speaking to the media, he demanded resignation of the KDMC commissioner.
“Whether it is vegetarian or non-vegetarian food is not the issue here. On Independence Day, we have the independence to eat whatever we want. We will eat meat that day. And in our household, we will have meat as well. In fact, in our household during Navratri, we offer non-veg to our goddess as prasad,” he said.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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