JOIN USRow over meat ban as Sena ups ante
The meat ban during Paryushan, the fasting days for the Jain community, is turning into a major political issue with the Shiv Sena taking on its alliance partner the BJP once again.
Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray said “You (BJP) cannot impose such a thing”, echoing the opposing views aired by the Congress and the NCP. The issue has led to tension between the ruling alliance partners the BJP and the Shiv Sena. “Such things would not happen, we would not allow it to happen,” Thackeray told reporters here.
Different municipal corporations have issued different sets of orders and notifications. While the ban on selling of meat and killing animals will be in force in Mumbai for four days, it would be eight days in Mira-Bhayander western suburbs while for the satellite township of Navi Mumbai, the ban would extend for nine days. Similar reports have reached from other towns of Maharashtra, including Nashik.
During 2014, when the Democratic Front government was in power, it had issued a common circular restricting sale and killing of animals for two days during Paryushan. “You cannot impose anything on anybody,” said former minority affairs minister and senior Congress leader Naseem Khan.
Meat ban is an old practice as far as the commercial capital is concerned. It was started as early as 1964, when the BMC passed a resolution directing a two-day prohibition on sale of meat following demands by Jains, a community mainly engaged in business and trading. “Now, with the BJP-led government in power at the Centre and Maharashtra, the two-day ban is being stretched to four days, eight days and nine days,” a senior political analyst said.
“The BMC appeared to have been under pressure from the BJP. The government should not take any decision to please a particular religious community and should function as per the rules,” Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam said.
NCP state unit president Sunil Tatkare said the government should have taken a decision by consensus to ensure the sentiments of Jains and rest of the society are not hurt.