The Crossbill News Desk
In yet another example of the ongoing Hindutva dictate under the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state of Uttar Pradesh, ahead of the Navratri festival, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation (MC) has issued an order mandating the closure of all meat and fish shops within the civic body limits for the entire duration of the festival.
The decision, which was unanimously approved in the corporation’s executive meeting on Thursday (March 27), marks the first time such a directive has been enforced in the city during Navratri.
Mayor Ashok Tiwari confirmed the development, stating that officials have been instructed to implement the order effectively and that shop owners have been duly informed.
“This is the first time a decision has been taken to keep all meat and fish shops closed during Navratri, starting March 30. Officials have been directed to enforce the order and shop owners were informed about the decision taken in the executive meeting,” The Indian Express quoted Tiwari as saying.
During the municipal corporation’s executive council meeting, a proposal was put forward advocating for the complete closure of these establishments throughout the festival period, which lasts until April 7.
The move, according to officials, is intended to honour Kashi’s religious traditions and respect the sentiments of devotees who observe Navratri through fasting and worship of Goddess Durga.
Currently, an estimated 400-500 meat and fish shops operate within Varanasi’s municipal limits. Shopkeepers found violating the directive will face legal action, officials have warned.
This is not the first time the civic body has taken measures regulating the sale of meat in the city.
In January, the corporation had issued notices to meat shop owners operating within a two-kilometer radius of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, ordering them to shut down on the grounds of “violating rules.” The directive was based on a resolution passed last year that strictly prohibited meat shops from functioning within this designated zone.
While authorities maintain that these measures align with the city’s religious ethos, meat shop owners have alleged harassment, claiming that they are being forced to shut down without any alternative arrangements for their livelihoods.
The latest order mandating a citywide closure during Navratri further intensifies the ongoing debate over the regulation of meat sales in the religious town of Varanasi.
The decision, which was unanimously approved in the corporation’s executive meeting on Thursday (March 27), marks the first time such a directive has been enforced in the city during Navratri.
Mayor Ashok Tiwari confirmed the development, stating that officials have been instructed to implement the order effectively and that shop owners have been duly informed.
“This is the first time a decision has been taken to keep all meat and fish shops closed during Navratri, starting March 30. Officials have been directed to enforce the order and shop owners were informed about the decision taken in the executive meeting,” The Indian Express quoted Tiwari as saying.
During the municipal corporation’s executive council meeting, a proposal was put forward advocating for the complete closure of these establishments throughout the festival period, which lasts until April 7.
The move, according to officials, is intended to honour Kashi’s religious traditions and respect the sentiments of devotees who observe Navratri through fasting and worship of Goddess Durga.
Currently, an estimated 400-500 meat and fish shops operate within Varanasi’s municipal limits. Shopkeepers found violating the directive will face legal action, officials have warned.
This is not the first time the civic body has taken measures regulating the sale of meat in the city.
In January, the corporation had issued notices to meat shop owners operating within a two-kilometer radius of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, ordering them to shut down on the grounds of “violating rules.” The directive was based on a resolution passed last year that strictly prohibited meat shops from functioning within this designated zone.
While authorities maintain that these measures align with the city’s religious ethos, meat shop owners have alleged harassment, claiming that they are being forced to shut down without any alternative arrangements for their livelihoods.
The latest order mandating a citywide closure during Navratri further intensifies the ongoing debate over the regulation of meat sales in the religious town of Varanasi.
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