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Amritsar’s walled city meat vendors face uncertain future after Holy City tag

There are roughly 100 meat shops in the walled part of Amritsar, of which only 20 sell halal meat, while 80 offer jhatka meat as per the Sikh code of conduct.

3 min readAmritsarUpdated: Dec 26, 2025 05:03 PM IST

Amritsar walled city, holy city, non-vegetarian items ban,

The affected meat and fish shopkeepers gathered in the Golbagh area of Amritsar on Tuesday to voice fears over losing their livelihoods. (File photo)

The December 15 notification of the Punjab government declaring the Amritsar walled city area as ‘holy city’ and banning the sale of non-vegetarian items there has cast a shadow on the future of around 100-150 meat and fish shops, and around 150 outlets selling non-veg items.

The affected meat and fish shopkeepers gathered in the Golbagh area of Amritsar on Tuesday to voice fears over losing their livelihoods.

Talking to The Indian Express, Surinder Singh, a meat vendor near Hathi Gate, said, “Our ancestors came from Pakistan in 1948, and since then we have been running this meat shop near Hathigate. We do not know any other business, any other work.”

“Most meat stalls in the walled city are run by middle-class and poor people. So far, no one has come to us to shut our shop, but… the administration has started objecting to the outlets in the walled city,” Singh added. He clarified that of roughly 100 meat shops, only 20 sell halal meat, while 80 offer jhatka meat as per the Sikh code of conduct.

Fish vendors echoed similar pleas. Makhan Singh, owner of Makhan Fish near Hall Gate, said, “We have talked to the mayor about relocating the fish market to an appropriate place, and we are hopeful that the administration will help us. There are around 20 meat and fish shops near the Hall Gate.”

The ‘ban’ has also ignited Sikh doctrinal debates. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member Kiranjot Kaur objected sharply, terming the ban a “Brahmanical imposition”. “Jhatka meat is our right,” she asserted, citing Guru Nanak Dev cooking meat in Kurukshetra and the 1935 Jhatka Conference.

“Tobacco and kutha (halal) remain prohibited in Sikhism, but jhatka aligns with the Gurus’ hunting traditions. So there shouldn’t be any ban on meat shops,” she said in a Facebook post.

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Meat vendors have formed a committee to meet the deputy commissioner and mayor, seeking to limit bans so as not to affect their meat shops, which are largely near the outer edge of the walled city.

Background

The fresh restriction echoes demands dating back to the 1980s, when Sikh bodies like the SGPC and All India Sikh Students Federation pushed for tobacco and liquor bans around the Darbar Sahib. In 1980, SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra urged prime minister Indira Gandhi to prohibit the sale of these items.

Demand to ban meat sales, however, emerged when the then Amritsar deputy commissioner S M S Chahal called a joint meeting of the city’s Hindu and Sikh leaders in 1981. Hindu bodies raised a demand for a ban on meat shops during the meeting, to which Sikh bodies didn’t object.

Sikhs traditionally eat Jhatka meat, but nowadays a large section of Sikhs are vegetarian.

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

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