Day after Sena calls ban religious fanaticism, BMC lifts its two-day meat ban in Mumbai

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On Friday, Justice Anoop Mohta and Justice S S Sayed were hearing a petition filed by the Bombay Mutton Dealers Association challenging the ban.

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“On instructions from the municipal secretary, a statement has been made that the ban imposed in accordance to a circular dated September 1, 2015 will be withdrawn. Consequently, the abattoir which was to remain shut on September 13 and 18 will remain open on those days and sale of meat will be allowed,” said the court.

The ban on sale of meat for two days, on September 10 and 17, directed by the state government, remains in place for now, and the petitioners said they will contest the ban on September 17. Meat shops were already closed on September 10.

The petitioners’ lawyer Zubin Kamdin questioned as to why the ban was on meat and poultry and not on fish and other seafood. “What is the rationale behind allowing a ban on some sort of killing while allowing others?” he asked. Advocate General Anil Singh argued that “a fish dies if taken out of water” and no cutting to slaughter it was involved.

The court wanted clarity on what had been the practice so far in a metropolitan city like Mumbai and whether a ban for four days had been followed all the time. “A cosmopolitan city like Mumbai has many facets. Here, there is no sizeable amount of one community, or class. The practical point to consider is the practice so far,” said the Bench.

“What is the idea behind choosing four specific days? Is it that on some days ‘hey don’t like… but on other days they are okay?” said Justice Mohta.

To the court’s observation about the role of police when commodities are imported and exported and are easily available in a globalised world, Singh said the decision should not be interfered with for now and that a better system could be developed later. Singh added, “We encourage trade but not at the cost of history, culture, heritage and religious sentiment. This type of globalization should not be permitted.”

Senior counsel representing BMC Narendra Walavalkar clarified that the ban on sale of meat had been imposed since 2014. “We have a very reasonable attitude. When Mahavir Jayanti and Bakr-Eid fall on the same day, we allow our Muslim brothers to “ut meat,” he said.

Following the BMC’s turnaround, Sena corporator and senior leader Trushna Vishwasrao said the party would take a relook at the resolutions of 1964 and 1994 based on which the ban is imposed annually by the civic body.

Left parties slam ban move

New Delhi: The Left parties on Friday lashed out at the move to ban the sale of meat by some states and termed it as a “violation” of fundamental rights of people. “The politburo denounces growing instances of violation of constitutional fundamental rights…by enforcing strictures on lifestyle and dietary habits of the people,” said the CPM in a statement.

“This is an integral part of the RSS design to impose Hindutva values and create communal polarisation,” it added.