The Mayor of East Delhi said that Ghazipur slaughterhouses will remain closed on April 8-10 due to Navratri.
new Delhi:
Mayors of South and East Delhi on Tuesday asked meat shops in their jurisdictions to remain closed during Navratras, saying “most people do not consume non-vegetarian food” for nine days, even That no official order was issued by the civic bodies.
Following his statements, many meat shop owners in these areas of the national capital closed their establishments fearing action by the authorities.
However, some markets in the city do not sell meat on Tuesdays anyway as this day of the week is considered auspicious by many Hindus.
Though the mayors of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) have called for the closure of these shops during the nine-day festivities, there has been no word from the North Corporation as to what other be like Two are also ruled by the BJP.
While East Delhi Mayor Shyam Sundar Agarwal claimed that “90 per cent people do not eat non-vegetarian food” during Navratri, his south counterpart Mukesh Suryan said there is “no need to open meat shops” during the festival because ” Most of the people do not “consume non-vegetarian food” during this period.
Following a sharp reaction on social media over the move, BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma not only supported the call of the mayors but said such a ban should be imposed across the country during Navratri.
On the closure of meat shops in the areas under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), a senior civic official said, “I have not received any such proposal related to NDMC.”
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted targeting SDMC mayor, “During Ramzan we don’t eat between sunrise and sunset. I think it’s ok if we allow every non-Muslim resident or tourist to go public in public. We prohibit food from eating, especially areas dominated by Muslims. If majoritarianism is right for South Delhi, it should also be true for Jammu and Kashmir (Jammu and Kashmir).” Meat shops in several markets of south Delhi, including INA and Jor Bagh, remained closed on Tuesday fearing action by the authorities.
There are around 40 meat shops in INA market, and some owners said that the decision to keep the shops closed was taken after Suryan’s remarks.
Though no official order has been issued yet, Mr Suryan, in a letter to SDMC commissioner Gyanesh Bharti on Monday, said that “the religious sentiments of the devotees when they come to meat shops or smell the meat”. beliefs and feelings are affected”. On their way to daily worship of Goddess Durga during Navratri.
Meat shops would not be allowed to open during Navratri from Tuesday to April 11, he had asked the municipal commissioner to ensure strict adherence to his instructions.
“Today most of the meat shops remained closed. Most of the people do not eat meat, onion-garlic during Navratri time. So keeping in mind the religious sentiments of the public, there is no need to open meat shops during Navratri festival. An order An issue in this regard will be issued today,” Mr Suryan told PTI on Tuesday.
Agarwal also “appealed” to the traders to keep the meat shops closed during Navratri in view of the “religious sentiments” of the community.
“I held a meeting with senior officials today and, keeping in mind the religious sentiments of the people, have appealed to the traders to keep the meat shops closed during Navratri or at least during the last three days of the festival,” he said.
However, the mayor of East Delhi said, Ghazipur slaughter house remains closed for the last three days of Navratri every year and this year it will remain closed on April 8-10.
“So, it means that if anyone is selling meat (of buffalo or goat) in this period, it will either be rancid or will be slaughtered by illegal means. Hence, I have ordered that for such surveillance 16 teams should be formed for traders, and take action accordingly,” Agarwal said.
“According to the situation, the action will include confiscation of meat or challaning or cancellation of license or sealing of shops,” he said.
The owners of meat shops in INA market said that they have closed their establishments fearing action from the authorities, even as no official order has been issued in this regard.
“The (meat) shops in INA market are closed fearing action by the authorities. Yesterday, the SDMC Mayor announced in the media that strict action would be taken against those opening shops during Navratri. We mutually shared our shops for today. The decision has been taken to close down, said Sanjay Kumar, manager of Bombay Fish Shop.
He said meat shops remained closed for the day.
“The owners have decided to keep the shops closed as the mayor has threatened serious action against them,” Kumar claimed.
Kamal, a co-owner of the Pigpo Meat shop in Jor Bagh, said he had opened the shop in the morning but decided to close it after learning about the mayor’s statement.
“We opened the shop in the morning, but when we came to know that shops in the nearby markets were closed, we closed it,” Kamal said.
Meanwhile, General Secretary of Ghazipur Murga Mandi Salim said that the meat shops are closed today as per their normal schedule. The effect of the mayor’s request will be clear by 9 am on Wednesday.
This is the first time the civic body has asked meat shops in its jurisdiction to be closed during Navratri, which is being celebrated from April 2-11.
Meanwhile, many common people also opposed such a move by the civic bodies in a democratic country.
“Mukesh Suryan, Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on the recommendation of shutting down meat shops in Delhi during Navratri. Mukesh Suryan should know that India is a secular country, not a Hindu state. Hence, its own way of hatred. Stop the saffron mentality. More nonsense,” alleged user @thisismalik on Twitter.
West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma said that the Muslim community should not get influenced by “provocative” statements of leaders like Asaduddin Owaisi and maintain harmony.
“If other communities respect the Hindu festival and welcome the verdict, we will also show respect when their festivals are celebrated,” he said.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)