Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday described as “unnecessary” the controversy over the closure of abattoirs and meat shops in some cities on Independence Day to observe meat ban, stressing that the state government was not interested in regulating people’s food choices.
“The state government is not interested in (knowing) who eats what. We have many other issues to address,” Fadnavis told reporters, adding, “Some people even went ahead and called vegetarian people as impotent. This nonsense should stop at once.”
CM, DCM Differ on Civic Meat Shop Closure Orders
Fadnavis said he was unaware of a 37-year-old government resolution (GR) that allows closure of abattoirs on certain days, including Independence Day, noting that municipal corporations take such decisions independently.
“The state never took such a decision. A government resolution (GR) was issued in August 1988. Municipal corporations take such decisions (ordering closure of slaughterhouses) on their own. Even I was not aware of such a GR existing for such a long period. I also learned about it (GR) through the media. Similar decisions were taken when (Shiv Sena UBT leader) Uddhav Thackeray was chief minister of Maharashtra (November 2019-June 22),” he said.
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Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, however, expressed displeasure over some civic bodies ordering such closures. “It is wrong to impose such a ban. In major cities, people of different castes and religions reside. If it is an emotional issue, then people accept it (ban) for a day. But if you clamp such orders on Maharashtra Day, Independence Day and Republic Day, then it is difficult,” he said.
Pawar added that such restrictions are generally imposed considering faith-related sensitivities on occasions like Ashadhi Ekadashi, Mahashivratri, and Mahavir Jayanti.
Civic bodies of Kalyan Dombivli in Thane district, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Nagpur have issued orders to close meat shops on August 15, while reports suggest Malegaon Municipal Corporation in Nashik district has done the same.
