Owaisi takes exception to Gurgaon Municipal Corporation's decision to close meat shops on Tuesday

Taking exception to the Gurgaon Municipal Corporation's decision to shut meat shops falling under its jurisdiction every Tuesday, AIMIM president Asauddin Owaisi on Saturday said such decisions cannot be taken on the basis of faith and demanded that the ruling BJP withdraw the move.

"If you keep on doing everything on the foundation of faith, it is against the Preamble of the Constitution. If food is sold on the foundation of faith, if it is decided on the foundation of faith as to who will sell what..has this country become a theological country," he told reporters here.

According to the Constitution, prepared by B R Ambedkar, the country does not have any faith and it accepts all faiths and also those who does not have any faith, he said.

How can the right of a citizen who cooks and eats what is not illegal at his home be curbed, he said.

"You run this country on the basis of belief or Constitution? If this country would run on the basis of belief, then why the Constitution," he asked.

He claimed that an effort is on to make the country a theocratic country by ending its diversity and pluralism.

There is a Supreme Court judgment which says that right to privacy is a fundamental right, he said. The decision to close the meat shops on Tuesday would hurt the income of meat-sellers who are also non-Muslims, he claimed.

The decision only spreads hate, he alleged.

BJP, which is in power in Haryana and at the Centre, should run the country on the basis of Constitution and immediately halt the decision of Gurgaon Municipal Corporation, he said.

Owaisi earlier tweeted: "How can beliefs get hurt by what other people are doing in their private lives? People are buying, selling or eating meat, theyre not forcing you to partake. By this logic, close alcohol shops on Friday? Meat is food for millions of Indians. Cannot treat it as something impure."

Meat shops falling under the Gurgaon Municipal Corporation's jurisdiction will remain shut every Tuesday as proposal to this effect was passed by the MC House.

According to BJP councillor Subhash Singla, the proposal was passed by the Gurgaon Municipal Corporation on Thursday.

He said there was a provision to close meat shops on any day of the week and during the meeting he suggested that Tuesday should be selected as many people do not consume meat on that day and thus it would suit the shops selling meat.

Singla asserted that Tuesday was not suggested because of anyone's religious sentiments.