Under pressure, Mumbai civic body revokes two-day meat sale ban

Under fire for its decision to banslaughter and sale of meat in the city for two days duringJain festival Paryushan the Municipal Corporation ofGreater Mumbai MCGM today told the Bombay High Court thatit has decided to withdraw its decisionMCGM informed the court of its decision during the hearingof a petition filed by meat sellers challenging the fourdayban on meat sales which included twoday ban by the stategovernmentWhile the civic body announced the ban for September 13and 18 the government had banned it for September 10 and 17However the separate twoday ban imposed by the BJPledgovernment in Maharashtra remains in forceBMCs decision would mean that the city would now gowithout meat only on September 17Shiv Sena workers hold chickens during a protest against ban on meat in Mumbai PicPTISenior counsel N V Walawalkar appearing for MCGM told adivision bench of Justices Anoop V Mohta and Amjad Sayyed thatthe civic body today decided to withdraw its September 1circular imposing a ban on slaughter as well as sale of muttonand chicken in the city on September 13 and 18Keeping public interest and the sentiments of Mumbaikarsin mind it has been decided to withdraw the circularWalawalkar saidThe high court was hearing a petition filed by BombayMutton Dealers Association challenging the ban The petitionalso challenged the state governments decision banning saleof meat on September 10 and 17As the MCGM move sparked a row and attracted criticismthe municipal body moved a proposal to revoke the banWe today called a special meeting where we submitteda proposal that the meat ban circular of MCGM which calledfor a twoday ban on selling meat should be revokedThe proposal was cleared We have requested the Mayor todirect the administration to revoke the ban All Shiv SenaCorporators along with those from other parties supported theproposal Shiv Sena party leader Trushna Vishwasrao whosubmitted the proposal told PTIBJP which had earlier backed the ban too supported Sena and other parties in seeking a revocation of the ban she saidMNS group leader Sandeep Deshpande said his party is only partially satisfied with the civic bodys decision and said their agitation will continue till the state government too withdraws the ban on meat saleOur fight is not against the duration of ban but thegovernments decision to prohibit people from eating what theywant to Even if MCGM revoked the ban today the stategovernment hasnt We will continue to protest until thegovernment permanently does away with banning anything thatpeople would want to eat he saidAfter the civic body informed the High Court about itsdecision to withdraw the ban the bench which had concludedhearing arguments of all the parties posted the matter fororders on September 14During hearing of the petition the high court todaycriticised the civic body and governments decision and saidsuch restrictions cannot be imposed in a city like MumbaiMumbai city is cosmopolitan and multifaceted where thereis no sizeable amount of population from one sect Hence cansuch a ban be imposed In a city like Mumbai there cannotbe such bans We are concerned about people who eatnonvegetarian food more There are certain communities who donot eat vegetarian much the court saidThere is a progressive look attached with Mumbai Suchdecisions are regressive in nature What to eat is anindividual choice How can you restrict that the court saidThe court also sought to know the rationale behindpermitting sale of fish seafood and eggs How are fish andeggs different Killing them is not violent What is therationale behind such a decision it saidTo this advocate General Anil Singh said fish dies themoment it is taken out of water Hence there is no deathdue to slaughterThe court also felt that the ban on some days during the nineday Prayushan was absurdWhat is the idea of having the ban on some days and allowing slaughter and sale of meat on other days Is it that there is no sentiment on one day and the next day you are filled with sentiment What is the idea behind this the court saidThe High Court also suggested that the government formulate a uniform policy throughout the state In Mira Bhayandar the ban is for eight days while here in Mumbai it is for four days Why cannot the government formulate a uniform policy that will be applicable to all the corporations and district councils it saidAdvocate General Anil Singh argued that the government has to take care of all communities The ban is only on slaughter and sale of meat on those two days There is no banon consumption of meat We are not going to go into peoples kitchen and say you cannot eat meatApart from the mutton dealers the Poultry Associationalso filed an application challenging the banSenior counsel Zubin Behramkamdin argued that while itcan agree to ban on slaughter of meat on the two days declaredby the government there cannot be a ban on sale Sale shouldbe allowed All communities have fasting period If tomorrowevery community starts asking for ban then will the authorityallow it We are losing our livelihood he saidThe petitioners have claimed that the decision isunconstitutional as it affects the livelihood of a section ofpeople and favours a small percentage of population It alsogoes against the secular fabric of the constitution they havesaid