No Meat? A Ban That Many in Mumbai Can't Digest, Even for Some Days

The slaughter and sale of meat is banned in Mumbai for two days as part of a 1994 order issued for a Jain festival of fasting.

The slaughter and sale of meat is banned in Mumbai for two days as part of a 1994 order issued for a Jain festival of fasting. Four years ago, the ban was extended to four days.

The meat ban will start on Friday. Sources say Maharashtra’s ruling BJP had asked for the number of days to be extended to eight, but the city’s municipal commissioner rejected it.



 

I loved the freedom Bombay, as it was called then, offered when I moved in here. Never thought it would be the city of bans #meatban

– Kalyan Karmakar (@Finelychopped) September 8, 2015

Ban beef. Ban meat. Ban criticising politicians. Ban consenting adults from meeting. Welcome to #Mumbai, capital of Ban-istan #meatban

– Sneha Mahale (@randomcards) September 8, 2015

The BJP’s ally Shiv Sena is also against such a ban, say sources, and intend to bring a resolution in the assembly to scrap it.

“What to eat or not is an individual’s choice, curbing eating rights is Hitler’s style of ruling,” said Congress leader Manish Tewari.

BJP’s Shaina NC told reporters: “This is about religious sentiment.”

For now, Mumbai cannot sell or eat any meat for four days. But in district Thane on its outskirts, a BJP-led civic body has extended the ban to eight days.

The Mayor, Geeta Jain, justified the decision, saying: “We had initially decided to shut it for 18 days but since it clashed with Bakri-Id, we are enforcing it only for eight. This is a democracy and this has been passed by a vote.”

The move was, however, opposed by the BJP’s own ally. The Shiv Sena has served notice to four of its corporators for being absent during the voting.

After coming to power in the state last year, the BJP-led government banned the slaughter, sale and import of beef.