Flashback 2015: A cautionary tale to beware

The year saw two controversial bans — one of beef, and another, temporary one, of all kinds of meat. The Maharashtra government’s shortlived decision to ban beef attracted strong condemnation from all quarters across the nation.

Facing a lot of heat in Mumbai which prides itself on its cosmopolitan nature, the issue quickly gained national prominence. It also threatened to damage the social fabric of Mumbai’s society and the city’s all-inclusive image.

The meat ban started in the neighbouring BJP-ruled Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC), which announced an eight-day ban on the sale of meat during the Jain fasting festival of Paryushan this year. Taking a cue from it, the BJP tried to replicate it in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), with disastrous results.

The ban roused outrage not only across the city, but also nationally with allegations being made of appeasing a particular community and discriminating against others on the basis of food habits, caste and

religion.However, it was not the first time the BMC had tried to impose the meat ban during Paryushan. In fact, the resolution directing abattoirs to be shut for two days of Paryushan was passed way back in the civic house in 1964. The civic body added two more days to the ban last year, making it a four-day affair. On these days, slaughter of animals is not allowed in city abattoir and meat and poultry shops remain shut.

The issue brought to fore the growing divide between vegetarian and non-vegetarian people in the city. It has lot to do with the city’s changing scenario, where the mill lands in Central Mumbai are making way for highrises and skyscrapers. While they have been occupied by Gujarati and Marwari people, many of whom follow Jainism and vegetarianism, there has been palpable discontent among other communities, particularly the Maharashtrians and Muslims, upon efforts to thrust their likes and dislikes on them.

Senior BJP corporator Dilip Patel, who had moved the proposal to enforce an eight-day ban on sale of meat during Paryushan, said, “Mumbai has a sizeable Jain population and their sentiments should be respected. The Supreme Court has also accepted the demand to issue ban on sale of meat during Paryushan. Many civic bodies in Gujarat have implemented this.”

However, his party was left totally isolated on the issue, as it faced flak from all quarters. In the BMC too, all other parties including its ally Shiv Sena, ganged up against the BJP and managed to bring down the meat ban to just two days. A resolution to this effect was also passed in the BMC general body meeting.

Atulkumar Shah from Shri Vardhaman Parivar, an organisation that has been fighting for the beef ban, slammed the move. “It was a custom of BMC since 1964 and it was reaffirmed in 2004 by the resolution of BMC. Slaughter houses and meat shops will remain closed for 2 or 4 days during Paryushan festival. This time they have reversed this decision keeping in view of 2017 BMC elections. Supreme Court has also upheld the closure of slaughter houses during Paryushan in Gujarat case. It is the undoubtedly a political move to satisfy the meat eaters,” he said.

However, there are strong reaction from the opposite side too. “We don’t want any ban based on food habits in Mumbai. Such incidents are on rise in the city,” said MNS corporator Sandeep Deshpande.

“There are reports of flats being refused to non-vegetarian people by some builders. I have demanded that the BMC should not issue intimation of disapproval (IOD), commencement certificate (CC) and water connection to such developers. But the civic body has been dragging its feet to take action under pressure from a particular community,” he added.

The beef ban has also affected the meat market adversely. The sale of beef in the BMC-owned Deonar abattoir has been reduced by almost half, causing losses to the civic body.

Dr Kaleem Pathan, general manager of Deonar abattoir, admitted there has been drastic reduction in the arrival of horned animals to the slaughter house due to the beef ban.

“Earlier, every day about 400 horned animals, about 80 per cent of them were cows and bullocks, were slaughtered in the abattoir. The count has now come down to around 200-250, which are all buffaloes,” he said.