Thane, Aug 14 (PTI) Security has been stepped up in Kalyan area of Maharashtra's Thane district as some political parties and butchers' associations have warned of protests against the local civic body's order to close meat shops and abattoirs on Independence Day.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday joined those who are opposing the ban, stating that the government can not dictate people's food choices, and it was a paradox that such a restriction was being imposed on Independence Day.
Criticising a similar order issued in Hyderabad, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi sought to know the link between Independence Day celebrations and the ban on meat sale.
In Maharashtra, municipal corporations of Nagpur, Nashik, Malegaon and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar too have issued similar orders, leading to a controversy and raising issues related to personal freedom.
Ruling allies BJP and NCP in the state have spoken in different voices on the issue, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the government was not interested in policing people’s food choices.
“The government and civic bodies should not decide what one should eat and what one should not. We are celebrating Independence Day, and there is no freedom to choose what to eat. Bringing any ban on Independence Day is a paradox,” MNS chief Raj Thackeray told reporters.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Atul Zende said security has been stepped up in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation's (KDMC) limits.
"Certain political parties have warned of agitation, including putting up meat stalls, selling meat and organising gatherings. Those who are likely to resort to such activities will be served with notices," he said.
The police are also considering issuing prohibitory orders to maintain law and order, the official said.
The KDMC recently issued an order stating all slaughterhouses and 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. It warned of action under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act, 1949, if the order was violated.
KDMC Commissioner Abhinav Goel on Wednesday said the restriction on the sale of meat was not new.
"This order has been in place since 1988 and is issued every year. Several other civic bodies also have similar policies. The ban applies not only to August 15 but also to Gandhi Jayanti, Mahavir Jayanti, Paryushan, Ganesh Chaturthi, and Sadhu Vaswani's birth anniversary. It is based on a report by the corporation's health officer," Goel told reporters.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has questioned the closure order, while the BJP defended the move, citing a 1988 state government resolution (GR) empowering civic bodies to impose such restrictions.
Opposition parties have also criticised the move.
The BJP has argued that the policy of keeping abattoirs shut on Independence Day was first implemented in 1988 when NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar was chief minister, and sought to know if the Opposition would question the veteran politician about it.
Chief Minister Fadnavis on Wednesday asserted the state government was not interested in regulating people’s food choices and described the row over abattoir closures as an "unnecessary" controversy.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said it was wrong to impose such a ban. Such restrictions are generally imposed considering faith-related sensitivities on occasions like Ashadhi Ekadashi, Mahashivratri and Mahavir Jayanti, he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray has said the Kalyan-Dombivli civic commissioner should be suspended as it was not for him to dictate people's dietary choices.
The Congress has claimed the Mahayuti government was creating controversies on such "nonsensical" issues to divert attention from serious issues.
NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad has said he would host a mutton party on August 15 to highlight the "freedom" of food preferences.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has also opposed the decision by municipal corporations to shut down slaughterhouses and meat shops on August 15, terming it as "unconstitutional".
Criticising the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s order to close all cattle slaughterhouses and retail beef shops on August 15 and 16, Owaisi, in a post on 'X', asked what connection there was between eating meat and celebrating Independence Day. As much as 99 per cent of Telangana’s population consumes meat, he said.