On a day when the Bombay High Court disapproved the ban on animal slaughter and sale of meat during the Jain fasting period Paryushan, the ruling BJP faces heat as its alliance partner Shiv Sena and the Raj Thackeray-led MNS took to the streets in protest against the ban.
While the Shiv Sena’s mouth-piece Samana in its editorial published on Thursday hit out at the Jain community for having its way in banning the sale of meat during Paryushan period, the Sena activists tore up notices put up by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declaring the ban on the sale of meat in Mumbai for four days — September 10, 13, 17 and 18.
The MNS activists resorted to a novel means of protest by a setting up a stall at Dadar’s Agar Bazar in north-central Mumbai, where the party sold chicken and meat. Eyewitnesses said that at the makeshift stall, the MNS gave away 100 kgs of chicken and various varieties of fish and mutton free of cost to the customers.
Talking to media persons, MNS president Raj Thackeray charged that the ruling BJP was using the ban on the sale of meat during the Paryushan period as an issue to patronise the Jain community ahead of the BMC poll scheduled for early 2017.
In a related development, the Bombay High Court took exception to the decision taken by both the BMC and the state government to impose a ban on the animal slaughter and sale of meat for four days.
Hearing a petition filed by Bombay Mutton Dealers Association (BMDA) challenging Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) decision to ban the sale of meat for four days——September 10, 13, 17 and 18——during the festival, a division Bench headed by Justice Anoop Mohta said that such a ban was not feasible in a metropolitan city like Mumbai and asked both the BMC and the State Government to file their say on the issue.
While asking both the BMC and the State Government to file their response on the BMDA’s petition, the HC Bench scheduled the matter for hearing on Friday.
In its petition, the BMDA challenged the ban move saying that it was “unconstitutional” as it affected the livelihood of a section of people and favoured a small percentage of population. It also contended that it went against the secular fabric of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, the MNS chief declared that his party would give protection to those selling meat in Mumbai, Mira-Bhyandar and Navi Mumbai during the Jain penance period, where local civic bodies have banned the sale of meat during the “Paryunshan” period.
Raj also warned the Jain community n0t dictate terms on the choice of food for Mumbaikars. “let the jain community not decide on what Maharashtra should do. This is Maharashtra and not Gujarat where you can impose a ban on the sale of the meat during the “Paryunshan” period.
Meanwhile, Uddhav joined issue with Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shellar at a public function organised to inaugurate a fly-over at Jogeshwari in Mumbai.
Alluding to the editorial in Saamna, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shellar advised the Sena not to take to streets and politicise the issue of the ban on meat during the Jain penance period.
Responding to Shellar’s comment, an aggressive Sena president Uddhav Thackeray advised the Jain community not to follow the suit of Muslim community and intimidate other communities by taking shelter under the pretext that they were minority community. Uddhav’s statement was akin to the line taken by the Sena’s official mouth-piece in its editorial.
Uddhav said that he and his party would not tolerate this kind of restrictions imposed on any community and would oppose the ban on the sale of meat.