Is there a ban on meat on Independence Day in Maharashtra? The controversy explained

A fresh political storm is brewing, and it’s all about meat. Several civic bodies across India have ordered meat shops and slaughterhouses to remain shut on Independence Day, a move that has stirred up sharp reactions from politicians across party lines.

In Maharashtra, opposition leaders are accusing the state of policing people's food habits, while the ruling party leaders are busy dodging the blame.

Here’s a look at what’s unfolding.

MVA, Ajit Pawar hit out at BJP over meat ban

In Maharashtra, multiple civic bodies have ordered meat shops and abattoirs to remain shut on August 15. Some of these orders also extend to other dates, citing Hindu and Jain festivals.

The move has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, comprising Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP), who accused the state of policing people’s food choices.

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In Thane, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation issued such a directive, prompting a strong reaction from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray. He demanded the municipal commissioner’s suspension, arguing that deciding “who eats what” is not his job.

“What we eat on Independence Day is our right, our freedom. They cannot tell us whether to eat,” Thackeray said. “In our house, even during Navratri, our prasad has prawns and fish because this is our tradition. This is our Hindutva. Why are you entering our homes? The municipal corporation should focus on issues such as potholes on roads.”

In a rare move, Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar also joined the criticism after a similar order was issued in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

“It is wrong to impose such a ban. In major cities, people of different castes and religions reside. If it is an emotional issue, then people accept it (ban) for a day. But if you clamp such orders on Maharashtra Day, Independence Day and Republic Day, then it is difficult,” Pawar said.

Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar also joined the criticism that multiple civic bodies have ordered meat shops and abattoirs to remain shut on August 15. File image

Municipal corporations of Nagpur, Nashik and Malegaon have also issued similar orders within their jurisdiction on Independence Day.

The Congress, meanwhile, claimed the Mahayuti government was creating controversies on “nonsensical" issues such as pigeon-feeding in cities and engaging in “menu management” to divert attention from serious issues.

'Nothing new, decision in place since 1988', says Maha CM

As the debate over the Independence Day meat ban gathered steam, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stepped in to clarify that this wasn’t some fresh decision by his government, but an old rule dating back more than three decades.

“This decision has been in place since 1988, we have not made any new decision. Even when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister, this decision existed, and it is still in place now. We have not taken any new decision,” Fadnavis told reporters, adding that the controversy was “unnecessary.”

He stressed that the state government had no interest in policing people’s food habits. “The state government is not interested in (knowing) who eats what. We have many other issues to address,” he said.

After Fadnavis pointed to the 1988 directive, the BJP further clarified the origins of the rule. Party leaders said it was actually framed by the Congress government under Shankarrao Chavan, and first implemented when Sharad Pawar became chief minister.

“Within a month in 1988, Sharad Pawar became the chief minister and implemented the policy for the first time,” BJP’s state chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye explained.

Upadhye also took a swipe at NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad and Aaditya Thackeray, both of whom have opposed the closures. He asked if they were prepared to confront Sharad Pawar about the policy, considering that during the MVA government (November 2019 to June 2022), when both leaders were ministers, the same practice continued without objection.

“Will they seek a response from Sharad Pawar for taking such a decision back then? Will they criticise him too?” Upadhye questioned. “Both (Awhad and Thackeray) have lost their (original) parties and government. Therefore, they are depressed and find fault with any decision to target the state government.”

'Unconstitutional': Owaisi slams meat ban in Hyderabad

The row over meat bans isn’t limited to Maharashtra. In Hyderabad, AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi has lashed out at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for ordering slaughterhouses and meat shops to remain shut on 15 and 16 August — Independence Day and Janmashtami.

“Many municipal corporations across India seem to have passed such orders, and sadly, GHMC has followed suit. This is callous and unconstitutional,” Owaisi said, questioning, “What’s the connection between eating meat and celebrating Independence Day?”

Pointing out that “99 per cent of Telangana’s people eat meat,” he argued that such bans trample on people’s right to liberty, privacy, livelihood, culture, nutrition and religion.

With input from agencies