Beef ban: City Speak

Vegan or beef-loving, everyone in Mumbai has an opinion on the government’s ban on beef in Maharashtra.

Vegan or beef-loving, anti-ban or pro-choice, everyone in Mumbai has an opinion on the government’s ban on beef in Maharashtra. Even as restaurants alter their menus, Anjali Lukose takes stock of what Mumbaikars think.

Shasvathi Siva, 23, Advertising professional
I’m a vegan and I advocate a plant diet. I look at them at creatures and they don’t deserve to be killed inhumanely to provide food for us. There should not be slaughter houses so I think the ban is good. My family is into animal rescue work. This ban is a start and will save at least some animals from meeting a cruel end. But just a ban is not enough, there should be better facilities at slaughterhouses and the animals should be transquilised before being slaughtered. But now what happens to old cows and who is going to fend for them?

Sohail Chawla, 27, Marketing professional
People should be given the option to procure beef and eat it wherever they want. Bull or bullock meat is more tender than buffalo beef and I prefer it. Why should the govermnment take away my right to eat whatever I want and interfere with my dining experience? Mumbai is cosmopolitan and we want to promote it as a global city. With such a ban, where would the expats get what meals they prefer having. Cattle may be sacred to Hindus, but what about other faiths? Maybe the government could begin a programme where livestock is grown only for the purpose of providing meat in a scientific manner, instead of such a ban.

Amey Raut, 26, Customer relationship manager
I’m a beef lover and now eating or possessing beef will get me a five-year jail term. How ridiculous is that? I did not know when I was gorging on beef steak or a beef burger for the last time. Look at what crimes, real crimes, have less punishmnet in this country- Road Safety and transport bill 2014 says that First offence for drunk driving will attract imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, and second offence three years. Outraging modesty is two years. Rioting gets us maximum of two year prison time, assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty gets you 1-5 years, sexual harassment (i.e. unwelcome physical contact/explicit sexual overtures/demand for sexual favours etc.) up to three years prison. I’m still to understand the logic, non religious, but proper logical explanation behind this ban.

Helly Thakkar, 24, Journalism student
We live in a democracy and have the right to choose what we ate. Stifling our choice and hampering the business of a community is against our fundamental rights. I’m a vegetarian and do not eat meat, but I don’t think that because eating beef is against my religion, so to speak, I will forbid others from having it.

Pranjal Gupta, 23, Musician
This ban is so discriminatory if it done under the pretext of saving animals or respecting them. Banning a certain species and leaving out the rest of the animals to appease religious sentiments in the 21st century is just strange. The government will revert to allowing the slaughter once the corporate and export lobby pressurizes them. And which ban has been effective in the state.

Shubham Badjate, 22, M Tech student, IIT-B
I’m a pure vegetarian. Animals have a right to live. There should not use to make leather or for food. This ban is a good move from the government.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags:
beef ban