MUMBAI/SRINAGAR:After hue and cry over the meat ban during Paryushan period, the Shiv Sena, which is ruling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, on Friday proposed to reduce the ban to two days instead of four in the city. However, the authority to take a call on this proposal lies with the Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta, who may or may not approve the proposal.
Shiv Sena group leader Trishna Vishwasrao proposed at the corporation’s general body meeting that the meat ban should remain in force on September 15 and 17 but should be lifted on September 13 and 18. September 17 is the day when the Ganeshotsav begins. Majority of the people do not eat meat on that day.
The general body has sent to proposal to Mehta for his approval.
The Bombay High Court asked the state government why the ban was imposed on alternate days as religious sentiments could be hurt on any day. It also asked the government why fish and eggs were excluded from the ban. The government counsel replied that fish have been excluded because they are not killed by slaughtering.
However, the BJP, who had favoured the ban, changed its stance. “We will neither be happy nor sad if the ban is lifted,” said spokesperson Madhav Bhandari.
Meanwhile, protests were held across the Valley on Friday against the J&K High Court order to enforce a ban on the sale of beef in the state, with people slaughtering cows at several places and masked youth in downtown Srinagar burning the Tricolour and waving Pakistani flags and posters of Jamaat-u-Dawa chief Hafiz Sayeed.
People, mostly youth, took to the streets at several places in Kashmir, including Srinagar after Friday prayers.