Mumbai: While the sale of meat has been banned in Mira Road and Bhayander during the Jain fasting period of Paryushan, fish has been spared.
The ban on meat sale and slaughter of animals during the Jain fasting period that falls between September 10 and 28 was passed through a resolution in the general body meeting of the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation on Friday. While BJP corporators said the ban will be in effect from September 10 to 17, mayor Geeta Jain clarified that fish markets could carry on with business during these days.
The civic body is expected to send the ban resolution to the government for final approval.
Since 2008, sale of meat was prohibited for two days in Mira Road and Bhayander as the municipality implemented a 2007 state government order regarding closure of slaughter houses during Paryushan. In 2013, the corporation extended the ban on the sale of fish too, but fishermen protested and sold their produce on roads, forcing the civic authorities to relent, reported The Times of India.
Several political and social organizations have written to the governor and civic administration opposing the eight-day ban. “As a mark of respect to Jainism, all communities had welcomed closure of abattoirs on two days during Paryushan. Anything more than that is unconstitutional,” said Mira-Bhayander MNS president Arun Kadam. The party will protest against the ban.
The Christian and East Indian residents are upset as they will be celebrating a week-long Blessed Virgin Mary feast from September 8. “Such form of indiscrimination is harmful to the society,” said Godwin D’cruz, a local. Another Bhayander resident Valencia Gomes has written to the Archdiocese of Bombay seeking intervention in the eight-day ban issue. Paryushan will also coincide with Eid on September 24.
Congress leader Muzaffar Hussain said that the civic body has no power to enforce a ban. “The BJP on strength of majority cannot go beyond what the government has imposed.”
Though BJP MLA and corporator Narendra Mehta insisted that there was no restriction on eating and procuring meat, restaurants in the area are under pressure to keep meat off their menu. Owners of the around 140 licensed meat shops in the area said they should be compensated by the civic body. “Last year, each shopkeeper was paid around Rs 3,000 a day,” he said . This year, there is no talk yet on compensating them for the eight-day shutdown.
NCP corporator Dhruvkishore Patil said the proposal to ban meat during Paryushan was not on the agenda of Friday’s meeting. “The proposal was brought up out of the blue, taking most by surprise.”