The ban on the sale of meat during Jain fasting period of Paryushan has become a major bone of contention between the two saffron alliance partners, with the Shiv Sena opposing its senior partner BJP’s move to force a ban in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the neighbouring Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC)
A day after the BMC’s administration announced its decision to enforce four-day shut-down of the Deonar abattoir during Paryushan, the Jain community’s week-long period of penance, evoked stiff opposition from the Sena, Congress, NCP, Samajwadi Party and MNS, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said that his party would oppose any kind of ban on the sale of meat in the metropolis and the neighbouring BJP-ruled MBMC area.
Talking to media persons on the sidelines of a function here on Wednesday, Uddhav said: “As far as I am concerned, the issue is over. Our party men have clarified the matter. Still, let me clarify again that no one is bringing such a ban on the sale of meat during Paryushan. We will not accept or allow any such a ban”.
Isolated over the meat sale ban, the BJP had at a BMC’s general meeting on Tuesday distanced itself from the move to shut down Deonar abattoir on September 10, 13, 17 and 18, by saying that the Devendra Fadnavis government had nothing to do with the decision and that the decision had been taken by the civic administration. Ironically enough, the BMC is controlled by the Shiv Sena.
Meanwhile, taking a position contrary to the one taken in Mumbai, the NCP-ruled Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) announced a ban on the sale of mutton, chicken and raw meat, from September 9 to 17.
However, in Mumbai, the NCP had on Tuesday taken out a morcha to the BMC opposing the ban on the sale of meat.
In a related development, the ruling BJP in the MBMC, where it had earlier announced a four-day ban on the sale of mutton, chicken and meat, clarified on Wednesday that it was reducing the ban on meat for two days instead of earlier announced four days.
The relaxation, announced by the BJP-ruled MBMC, is being seen as an after-thought to the increasing resistance to the meat move from all other political parties, including the Sena and MNS.