The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has imposed a complete ban on the sale of non-vegetarian food, including eggs, fish, chicken, and meat, in Madhya Pradesh’s Maihar town during the nine-day Navratri festival from March 30 to April 7.

Additionally, municipal corporations in Bhopal and Indore have ordered the closure of meat shops on five upcoming festivals—Gudi Padwa and Chaiti Chand (March 30), Ram Navami (April 6), Mahavir Jayanti (April 10), and Buddha Purnima (May 12), The New Indian Express reported.

Maihar, home to the Maa Sharda temple, a revered Shaktipeeth, attracts tens of thousands of devotees during the annual “Maa Shardey Chaitra Navratri Fair.”

The blanket ban on non-vegetarian food sales in the town aligns with demands made by several BJP leaders, including Rakesh Singh, Madhya Pradesh’s Public Works Department minister and former party whip in the Lok Sabha, who had earlier called for the closure of meat shops during Navratri, PTI reported.

In Indore, the municipal corporation has ordered a four-day shutdown of meat shops, though the Hindutva group Hindu Rashtra Sangathan has demanded an extension to nine days, warning that it would forcibly shut down any shops that remain open.

The move has drawn criticism from opposition leaders, with Congress’ Sach Saluja questioning why the order applies only to small shop owners while major restaurant chains like KFC and McDonald’s remain unaffected.

Authorities have warned that any violations of the directive will result in strict action, including the cancellation of shop licenses.

Meanwhile, tensions flared in Damoh town, where members of Hindutva outfits allegedly blackened the face of Chief Municipal Officer (CMO) Pradip Sharma after municipal staff prevented them from putting saffron flags on the town’s iconic clock tower.