Meat ban in Mumbai for 4 Paryushan days
Giving in to BJP legislators and Jain organisations' demands, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) banned meat in Mumbai for four days during the Jain fasting period of Paryushan. BJP heartily welcomed the civic body's ban on 10, 13, 17 and 18 September. However, the officials said that the ban will not touch the sale of fish and other seafood. Chicken sales too will remain unaffected.
BMC passed a number of resolutions over the years regarding the Paryushan meat-ban. The corporation passed resolutions in 1964 and 1994 allowing for a 2-day ban on the sale of meat. The state government passed a separate resolution in 2004 adding 2 more days to the ban. Thus, it is on the BMC's "discretion to decide the number of days for banning the meat."
'Paryushan Parva' ("Paryushana") is a 8 day fasting Jain festival and is celebrated every year during the auspicious month of 'Bhadrapad' (mid-August to mid-September in the Hindu calendar). It is a period of "fasting and forgiveness; a time of reflection and repentance" for Jains.
The Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) forbade the selling of meat in Mira Road and Bhayander in the northern suburbs of Mumbai for the complete 8 days of the Jain Paryushan period. The eight-day prohibition will include the two days provided by the state government. Shiv Sena's Jayantilal Patil complained that such a ban would create nothing but a communal divide.
Following MBMC's ruling to ban meat for 8 days, BJP leaders including Atul Bhatkhalkar, general secretary of BJP and several Jain organizations demanded the extension of the usual 2 day Paryushan ban. The authorities wrote to the BMC demanding an eight-day ban on the sale of meat. BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta will decide whether to extend the ban.
Congress's Ashraf Shaikh strongly protested against MBMC's 8 day ban saying that, next the BJP should ban the sale of liquor during the fasting month of Ramzan.
Giving in to BJP legislators and Jain organisations' demands, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) banned meat in Mumbai for four days during the Jain fasting period of Paryushan. BJP heartily welcomed the civic body's ban on 10, 13, 17 and 18 September. However, the officials said that the ban will not touch the sale of fish and other seafood. Chicken sales too will remain unaffected.
The BMC ban was slammed by Congress who called this decision as an 'anti-democratic' one. It blamed BMC for buckling under pressure. Sanjay Nirupam, former MP and president of Mumbai Congress unit said the government should not try to appease a particular religious community. Raj Thackeray's Navnirman Sena too hit at BJP calling it 'Bharatiya Jain Party' for the meat ban enforcement.
Sonam Kapoor tweeted saying: "Our country is going to remain a 3rd world nation because of the intolerant misogynistic close minded few." She got trolled for linking meat with misogynistic and was termed a 'bimbo'.
According to the Bombay Beef Association, Day 1 of the meat ban caused a loss of over Rs.3 crore for the city's 900 carabeef shops.
