Ban on the slaughter and sale of meat in its markets for four days in Mumbai due to a Jain religious event

No slaughter, sale of meat on four days of Paryushan
Richa Pinto, TNN | Sep 8, 2015, 12.15 AM IST


MUMBAI: The BMC has banned the slaughter and sale of meat in its markets for four days in Mumbai during Paryushan Parva, a Jain festival. However, the ban is not applicable on the sale of fish or eggs.

The four days during which the Deonar abattoir would be shut and sale of meat will be banned are September 10, 13, 17 and 18. Raj Purohit, the BJP MLA from Colaba, said while they wanted the ban to be imposed on all eight days, they are satisfied that the civic body agreed to do so at least on four days. "We stay in a land of Lord Ram, Krishna and Buddha and therefore keeping in mind the religious feelings of the Jain community both legal and illegal slaughter houses should be shut completely on those days. While eating meat is one's right but killing an animal is definitely not a person's right," argued Purohit. But BJP corporator Dilip Patel said he plans to raise the issue at the next general body meeting of the BMC. "It should take a decision on enforcing the ban on all the eight days instead of just four days. Jains are a minority and hence their feelings should be considered," he said.

However, the Shiv Sena, the BJP's ally in the BMC, said while four days were agreeable but they will definitely oppose an eight-day ban. "Many Hindus consume meat, therefore an eight day ban would be opposed by us," said Trushna Vishwasrao, the leader of the Sena in the BMC.

On August 27, members of the Vishwamaitri Trust, a Jain organization, along with Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs and corporators, met municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta seeking a ban on meat on the eight days of Paryushan as in Mira-Bhayander. The BJP, which was voted to power in the Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) last year, won a vote to ban the sale of meat and slaughter of animals during Paryushan, a period of fasting that falls between September 10 and 28 this year. The proposal to ban the sale of meat and close down abattoirs during Paryushan was moved by BJP corporator Dinesh Jain in the general body meeting last Friday. The BJP got 29 votes in favour of the ban.

BJP MLA from Kandivli (East), Atul Bhatkhalkar, said shutting the abattoir for four days is a small step towards their goal. "Paryushan Parva is a pious period for people of the Jain religion. If no harm is done then definitely a ban on meat should be enforced. We therefore met the BMC commissioner with the request along with the Jain trust." The party's leader in the BMC, Manoj Kotak said the civic body had imposed a similar ban last year. A BJP corporator from Malad, Gyanmurthi Sharma, said that in their meeting with the commissioner they also demanded a crackdown on the hanging of meat in legal and illegal shops during this period.

The BMC said its assistant commissioners (markets) will enforce the ban. "Normally in the past there have been no instances of people not adhering to the rule," said BMC additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh.

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