After Maharashtra, it's Rajasthan and J&K: As row continues, states ban sale of meat for 3 days

Jaipur/Mumbai: After Maharashtra, a ban on sale of meat and fish has been ordered in Rajasthan for three days this month in view of Jain festivals, even as the row over such a directive continued in Mumbai where ruling BJP’s ally Shiv Sena and opposition MNS hit the streets to protest. Meanwhile, a controversy erupted in Jammu and Kashmir after the High Court there ordered ban on sale of beef, triggering angry reactions by locals and organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami. While a row continued over the eight-day meat ban in Mumbai and some other parts of Maharashtra, Rajasthan government ordered ban on sale of meat and fish on September 17, 18 and 27 on account of festivals, including that of Jains. In a circular issued to all municipal bodies, the state government has asked meat shop vendors to close their shops and stop sale of meat and fish on September 17 in view of Jain community’s ‘Paryushan’ (Jain fasting) festival, on September 18 on account of ‘Sanvatsari’ (another Jain festival), and September 27 on ‘Anant Chaturdashi’, an official said. This order will also be applicable to slaughter houses, he said. The Rajasthan government directive came even as wrangling over the ban on sale of meat by Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) during the Jain fasting period ‘Paryushan’ spilled onto the streets today with Shiv Sena and MNS setting up stalls to sell meat in defiance of the order. [caption id=“attachment_2429018” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representative image. AFP[/caption] While the ruling BJP has defended the ban, its ally Shiv Sena as well as opposition MNS and Congress and the NCP have vehemently opposed it, alleging the move was aimed at polarising voters and appease a section of society before the crucial MCGM polls in early 2017. Shiv Sena workers tore the civic body notices declaring the ban on meat for four days in Mumbai on September 10, 13, 17 and 18, when members of Jain community observe fast. The Raj Thackeray-led MNS set up a stall in busy Dadar to sell chicken meat as a symbolic protest. A similar ban has also been imposed by the neighbouring Mira-Bhayander and Navi Mumbai municipal corporations. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said his party would ensure that there was no ban on sale of meat. MNS corporator Sandip Deshpande, who participated in the protest, told PTI “we were selling meat in Dadar area along with Shiv Sena workers when police suddenly came there and started pushing and shoving us. Later they detained us. But we will continue our agitation against the ban till the government and the civic body revoke the order.” Despande said the party would set up meat stalls across the city on all the days of the ban. BJP leaders, however, defended the decision holding that this had been there for long and it was wrong to blame the party-led state Government. The party leaders rejected the charge that this was a decision to appease the affluent Jain community, whose members control many business in the city. In Jammu, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the police to ensure that there is no sale of beef anywhere in the state and that strict action is taken against those who violate the law. The HC, while hearing a petition, also posted the matter for listing after four weeks. “The Director General of Police in the meantime is directed to ensure that appropriate directions are issued to all the SSPs/SPs, SHOs of various police districts so that there is no sale of beef anywhere in the state of J&K and strict action is taken in accordance with law against those who indulge in it,” a division bench said. The direction came from the bench comprising Justices Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Janak Raj Kotwal on Tuesday on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The PIL wanted that slaughtering or killing of bovine animals be made an offence punishable under section 298-A and possession of such slaughtered animal an act punishable under section 298-B of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC). After hearing the counsel from both sides, the bench observed, “Divisional Commissioner Kashmir has not filed an appropriate response regarding the smuggling and slaughtering of bovine animal and subsequent their sale especially in Kashmir Valley”. Criticizing the order, Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) said it won’t be accepted as it is against the tenets of Islam. “We will not accept this order. It is not only against the secular ethos but also against our faith,” the newly-elected chief of JeI, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, told reporters here. “It is not acceptable to us. We will do whatever is possible… it is a direct interference in our religious affairs,” he said, adding “beef is halal (prescribed by Muslim law) for us and we will continue to consume it.” Muslim League headed by separatist leader Masarat Alam also denounced the order. “We are not going to compromise on our religious beliefs. Beef is permissible,” a spokesman of the league said. PTI