While not everyone turns vegetarian during the nine days of Navratri, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s Mayor Mukkesh Suryaan has decided they do and ruled that all meat shops in the area will be shut down. Soon after the order made news, scores of shops in markets of the zone downed their shutters.
According to a report in NDTV, around 30 meat shops in INA market, one of the largest food markets in the city, also shut down on Tuesday morning. As was the case during the sudden lockdown when it was first imposed two years ago, this shutdown too has come without notice or warning. It most affects the daily wage earners employed at various levels in the meat and egg supply chains. According to a report by Newslaundry, if there were at least a fair warning the labourers said they would have gone home for these nine days rather than be in the city without wages.
After SDMC mayor called for the closure of meat shops in South Delhi during Navratri, most of the 30+ meat shops in INA market shut down this morning.
Shop owners, labourers are worried about their livelihood + vagueness
of order. Story with @AshwineSingh soon on @newslaundry pic.twitter.com/4fOoXNp60t— Tanishka Sodhi (@tanishka_s2) April 5, 2022
However, South Delhi’s Mayor Mukkesh Suryaan of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also claimed that 99 percent people turn vegetarian during Navratri. Bizarrely he while ordering this ban, perhaps the first of its kind in the national Capital, has likened it to orders “in some Islamic nations where drinking water in public is prohibited during the fasting month of Ramadan” reported NDTV. In South Delhi, this ban is on till Monday and “will be enforced strictly,” said Mukesh Suryan. According to the NDTV report, he has claimed that the move was taken “following complaints” and that “it does not violate anyone’s personal liberty.” His party colleague, BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, son of former Delhi chief minister Sahib Singh Verma, has supported the ban on the sale of meat during Navratri saying the other two corporations of Delhi should also follow suit. He told the media that “if Hindus respect other religions, then Muslims should also do it.”
दक्षिण दिल्ली नगर निगम द्वारा मीट की बिक्री पर नवरात्र के दौरान रोक लगाने का बीजेपी सांसद प्रवेश वर्मा ने समर्थन कर कहा कि अगर हिन्दू दूसरे धर्म का सम्मान करते हैं तो मुसलमानों को भी करना चाहिए, ओवैसी जैसे लोगों की बातों में मुसलमानों को नहीं आना चाहिए.
रिपोर्ट @prashantjourno pic.twitter.com/qpExFZ5IMt— Vikas Bhadauria (@vikasbha) April 5, 2022
The S Delhi Mayor, Mukkesh Suryaan told the media that “during Navratri, 99% of households in Delhi don’t even use garlic & onion, so we’ve decided that no meat shops will be open in South MCD” he added that a “fine will be imposed on violators”.
During Navratri, 99% of households in Delhi don’t even use garlic & onion, so we’ve decided that no meat shops will be open in South MCD; the decision will be implemented from tomorrow. Fine will be imposed on violators: Mukkesh Suryaan, Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation pic.twitter.com/zGCw3dOW4R
— ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2022
He said that “when meat is not sold, people will not eat it. We have taken this decision keeping in mind the sentiments of Delhiites. People complained to me. The fasting people were facing problems over the cutting of meat in the open. This is not a violation of anyone’s personal liberty,” reported NDTV adding that “on 8, 9, 10 April, we will also close all slaughterhouses.”
He has already sent a letter to South Delhi Municipal Corporation Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti stating, “Religious beliefs and sentiments of devotees are affected,” and asking that “necessary directions may be issued to the officers concerned to take action for the closure of meat shops during the nine-day period of the Navratri festival extending from April 2, 2022, to April 11, 2022.” According to news reports, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Shyam Sundar Agarwal has also made the same demand saying “closing meat shops will make us happy during this festival”.
The ban has had multiple reactions online. Including scores Hindu citizens from across the country who shared the diversity of the faith and the meat diets adopted by many.
I’m a Hindu & eat non-veg almost daily. Didn’t know what Navratri is before I came to Delhi. Ban on meat shops during Navratri is ridiculous in a democracy, where 70 per cent are non-veg. Even in Delhi. I’m no less Hindu for consuming non veg during Navratri. pic.twitter.com/zXF2QmBDk4
— Kaushik Deka (@KDscribe) April 5, 2022
These maniacs will destroy Indian businesses/livelihoods and Indian culture slowly and surely till we become like Sri Lanka – this meat ban isn’t just about religion it’s all about power and the impunity of imposing it on each of you. It’s about making criminals of 70 % of Delhi
— INJESTERS ?? (@rockyandmayur) April 5, 2022
Yes Non Veg eating Hindus in Karnataka celebrate Kannada New year by eating meat. ‘Varshad Todaku’ or ‘Hosa Todaku’ is celebrated the day after Ugadi. The speciality of the day is a feast of non-vegetarian dishes. https://t.co/hsnsV4NZel pic.twitter.com/kO4P0HpAiZ
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) April 5, 2022
Today is Meenabharani, a day of temple festivals across Kerala. In Paravoor, we used to have a goat slaughtered and feast on mutton, fish, parippu, pachadi, sambar, aviyal, pulisseri, payasam.
Who is vegetarianising Hinduism?
— Charmy Harikrishnan ചാമി ഹരികൃഷ്ണൻ (@charmyh) April 4, 2022
Tamil Nadu has a tradition of Idli and mutton curry for breakfast on Deepavali. Onam Sadya in North Malabar has fish and chicken. Many Kannadigas eat chicken on Hosa todaku (which is the day after Ugadi).
STOP seeing everything from the Brahmanical lens. https://t.co/x6TEuqLO2U
— Advaid അദ്വൈത് (@Advaidism) April 5, 2022
Related:
What does Raj Thackeray hope to achieve with his anti-Muslim speech?
Hate Watch: Right-wing group vandalises vegetarian food cart run by Muslim vendor
Are increasing calls for economic boycott of Muslims a sinister precursor to something worse?
Meat sale banned in Ghaziabad, demands brew for a repeat in MP
Bajrang Dal smells an opportunity in stirring the halal pot, pastes boycott posters
Hijab case verdict based on erroneous interpretation of Holy Quran: SKJU