Maharashtra: Debate erupts over closing meat shops in Maharashtra on Independence Day, Ajit Pawar raises questions:

News Topical, Digital Desk : After nearly half a dozen municipal bodies in Maharashtra ordered the closure of meat shops and slaughterhouses on Independence Day, ruling allies BJP and NCP have taken different stands on the issue, triggering a debate.

Meat shops will remain closed on 15th August

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the government is not interested in controlling people's food choices. Nagpur, Nashik, Malegaon, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Kalyan-Dombivli municipal corporations have issued instructions to close slaughterhouses and meat shops under their jurisdiction on August 15.

The NCP, led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has questioned the shutdown. While its ally in the ruling Mahayuti alliance, the BJP, defended the move citing a 1988 state government resolution (GR) that empowered municipal bodies to impose such restrictions.

He said this about closing the slaughterhouse on Independence Day

The BJP has said that the policy of keeping slaughterhouses closed on Independence Day was first implemented in 1988. At that time NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The BJP wanted to know whether the opposition would question the senior leader about this.

Maharashtra BJP chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhyay said the policy of keeping slaughterhouses closed on August 15 was originally formulated by the then Congress government led by Shankarrao Chavan. Within a month in 1988, Sharad Pawar became chief minister and implemented the policy for the first time.

Congress made these allegations against the Mahayuti government

Congress has said that the Mahayuti government is creating controversies over frivolous issues like feeding pigeons in cities and ban on sale of meat on Independence Day to divert attention from serious issues.