6 days ago
Respect food habit, diversity, says Ajit Pawar after 3 civic bodies ban meat sale on Aug 15
Hours after the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Tuesday announced that all slaughterhouses and meat shops within city limits would remain closed on August 15 on the occasion of Independence Day and Janmashtami, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday admonished the decision taken by some civic bodies that also invited severe criticism from the Opposition.
The civic bodies of Kalyan Dombivli, Nagpur and Malegaon have issued an order for closure of all slaughterhouses and meat shops in their jurisdictions for 24 hours on August 15. The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) had issued the order on Monday.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, also the president of ruling ally Nationalist Congress Party, disapproved the decision and said, 'It is an individual's choice what one should eat or not eat. Nobody has the right to impose the decision. There are some people who are vegetarians and others who are non-vegetarians. It is part of an individual's habit, culture and inheritance and geographical conditions.'
'While it is important to keep public sentiments and faith in mind on certain religious occasions such as Ashadi Ekadhasi or Mahavir Jayanti…, there is no reason why there should be a ban on meat and non-vegetarian food on Maharashtra Day, Independence Day or Republic Day,' Pawar said.
Pointing out that in rural Maharashtra, people indulge in non-vegetarian delicacies during celebrations, Pawar said, 'If we look at the coastal Konkan region, people mostly eat seafood. The tribals are used to non-vegetarian food. The food habit and diversity has to be respected.' He also assured that he would take up the matter within the government.
Later in the day, following hue and cry from Opposition and alliance partners, the ruling BJP issued a statement saying the decision was not new and has been a part of the administration since 1988.
'Some municipal corporations across Maharashtra have ordered the closure of slaughterhouses and meat shops in its jurisdiction for 24 hours on August 15, Independence Day. This is not a new decision. It was taken way back on May 12, 1988. It has been in practice since then. Every year an individual civic body takes a call,' said the BJP in its statement.
While a senior BJP leader said it was a 'foolish decision' and wondered 'whose idea was it', Maharashtra BJP Media cell incharge Navnath Ban said, ' The decision to keep slaughterhouses and meat shops closed on some important days such as Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti, Mahavir Jayanti, Ram Navmi, etc. was taken by the then government in 1988. Since then some civic bodies follow it.'
According to the BJP spokesperson, 'Even during the rule of Maha Vikas Aghadi when Uddhav Thackeray was the CM, such a decision was implemented. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation, which was under state administrator, had enforced the ban on slaughterhouses and meat shops in 2021 and 2022.'
Criticising the move, Opposition NCP (SP)'s Jitendra Awhad questioned why residents were being told what to eat on Independence Day, while Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray demanded the suspension of KDMC commissioner.
'Who is the commissioner to tell us what to eat and what not to? Bridges are collapsing, roads are in terrible shape, and instead of fixing them, the administration is busy banning food,' Thackeray said.
