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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Express View on meat bans on Independence Day: Withdraw them
The proposed imposition of meat-sale bans by civic bodies in Maharashtra — from Kalyan Dombivli to Malegaon to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalgaon and Nagpur — on August 15 strikes a jarring note. Citing a 1988 government order as precedent, officials have framed it as a routine measure to maintain 'public order'. But the curbing of personal liberty in the name of decorum, even for a single day, selectively targets communities, threatens livelihoods — and goes against the spirit of celebration of freedom. Not just opposition parties like the Shiv Sena (UBT), even Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has questioned the rationale behind the prohibitions (even if he has controversially upheld their necessity on religious occasions): 'While it is important to keep public sentiments and faith in mind on certain occasions like Ashadhi Ekadashi or Mahavir Jayanti … there are no reasons why there should be a ban on meat and non-vegetarian food on Maharashtra Day, Independence Day, Republic Day.' CM Devendra Fadnavis has backed his deputy and said his government is 'not interested in (knowing) who eats what.' Unfortunately, however, the imposition of vegetarianism by state diktat is not a Maharashtra-only phenomenon. In Telangana, for instance, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has announced a two-day closure of meat shops, on both Independence Day and Janmashtami (August 16). During the annual Kanwar Yatra or Navratri, in states such as Uttar Pradesh, bans on the sale of meat have become a routine assertion of a state-backed majoritarian impulse, couched as deference to 'public sentiments'. They are an infringement, as Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has termed it, responding to the GHMC's decision, of the 'people's right to liberty, privacy, livelihood, culture, nutrition and religion'. That such bans continue to find official favour points to a deeper discomfort with diversity — cultural, religious or culinary — and a political and administrative imagination that is homogenising, and sees the idea of India as a monolith. As India's industrial and commercial nucleus, Maharashtra, especially Mumbai, has long been a bastion of pluralism, sustained by a tapestry of faiths, languages, cuisines, traditions, commerce and aspirations — moving forward not despite, but because of, its diversity. Recent rollbacks by the Fadnavis government in Maharashtra — from caste disclosures on exam hall tickets to the eggless midday meal policy — show that discriminatory decisions can, and should, be reversed before they cause damage. In the same spirit, the meat bans must be withdrawn immediately.
News18
10-08-2025
- Politics
- News18
Row over Kalyan civic body ordering closure of meat shops on Independence Day
Thane/Mumbai, Aug 10 (PTI) Kalyan Dombivli municipal corporation's order banning the sale of meat on Independence Day has triggered a row, drawing sharp reactions from NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders who called it an infringement of the food choices of people. Responding to the notice issued by KDMC, NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad on Sunday said he would host a mutton party on August 15 to highlight the 'freedom" of subjective food preferences. KDMC stated that all slaughterhouses and shops of licensed butchers of goats, sheep, chickens, and large animals must remain closed for 24 hours from midnight of August 14 till midnight of August 15. The civic body warned of action under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act, 1949, if any animal is slaughtered or meat is sold during the specified period. When contacted, KDMC Deputy Commissioner (Licenses) Kanchan Gaikwad told PTI that a similar order has been issued every year since 1988 as part of a civic resolution. Gaikwad, who signed the order, emphasised that the move was in keeping with long-standing administrative resolutions to ensure public order and observance of important national occasions. However, the Opposition is not convinced. Earlier in the day, Awhad stated on X, 'This is too much. Who are you to decide what people will eat and when?" Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray demanded the suspension of the KDMC commissioner for dictating the food choices of people. 'Who is the commissioner to tell people whether they can eat non-veg or not?" he asked. Bhiwandi MP and NCP (SP) leader Suresh Mhatre too strongly opposed the restriction, calling it an infringement of people's traditional food habits. 'What one should eat and what one shouldn't is a question of the people. The local fishermen community eats vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. Food habits are shaped by customs prevalent in different parts of the state. The ban on the sale of meat is incomprehensible," Mhatre told reporters. He said dietary preferences are deeply tied to cultural identity, particularly in coastal communities like the Agri Koli, and that civic authorities should respect these traditions. Kalyan (West) MLA and Shiv Sena leader Vishwanath Bhoir, however, defended the KDMC's move. 'People are not opposing the notice. What's the issue if one doesn't eat meat one day? The Opposition only knows how to criticise," he said. PTI MR COR ARU NSK view comments First Published: August 10, 2025, 21:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
