Several meat shops in south Delhi closed as owners fear SDMC action

NEW DELHI: Meat shops in several markets in south Delhi, including at INA and at Jor Bagh, remained shut on Tuesday, a day after SDMC Mayor Mukesh Suryan said they will not be allowed to open during Navratri till April 11.

Though no official order has been issued on the matter yet, shopkeepers kept their establishment closed fearing action.

Moreover, Tuesday being an auspicious day for many in the Hindu community, majority of meat shops in the national capital anyways remain shut on this day of the week.

There are around 40 meat shops in the INA market, and some owners said that the decision to keep shops closed was taken after the SDMC mayor's remarks "The (meat) shops at the INA market are closed fearing action by authorities. Yesterday, the SDMC mayor announced in the media that strict action will be taken against those opening shops during Navratri. We have decided among ourselves to close our shops for today," Sanjay Kumar, manager at Bombay Fish Shop, said.

Meat shops remained closed through the day, he said.

Mayor Suryan said that as most people do not consume non-vegetarian food during Navratri, there is no need to open meat shops during this period.

"Owners decided to keep shops closed as the mayor has threatened serious actions against them," Kumar claimed, adding that they are yet to decide whether they will keep shops closed till Navratri ends.

Kamal, co-owner of Pigpo meat shop in Jor Bagh, said he had opened the shop in the morning but after learning about the mayor's statement, decided to close it.

"We opened the shop in the morning but have shut it after we got to know that shops in nearby markets are closed," Kamal said.

Meanwhile, Saleem, general secretary of the Ghazipur Murga Mandi, said that meat shops are closed today as per their usual schedule.

The impact of the mayor's request will be clear by 9 am Wednesday.

This is the first time when the civic body has asked for the closure of meat shops under its jurisdiction during Navratri which is being observed from April 2-11.

Suryan said that an official order in connection with closure of meat shops will be issued soon even as he claimed that most of the meat shops in south Delhi remained shut on Tuesday.

He had on Monday written to Commissioner SDMC to ensure that meat shops are closed during the festival of Navratri till April 11.