Navratri: Outrage as Delhi meat shops shut for Hindu festival
Image credit: indiatvnews.com
Many meat stores in Delhi, India’s capital, have been closed for two days after civic officials asked them to close for Navratri, a nine-day Hindu festival.
According to mayors from the south and east districts, most people did not eat non-vegetarian cuisine during the event, and many people complained about seeing meat being sliced in the open.
Many people have expressed their displeasure with the move on social media.
Many argue that it goes against India’s pluralism.
Navratri commemorates the goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura, and during the nine-day holiday, faithful Hindus fast or refrain from eating meat, as well as avoid using garlic, onions, and certain spices in their cooking.
The Aam Aadmi Party, which is led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has not issued any official instructions ordering meat outlets to close. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party is represented by the mayors who have requested for the shops to remain closed until April 11th (BJP).
Their decision has sparked outrage online, with some arguing that one person’s decision to abstain from eating meat should not impinge on another’s right to consume meat or earn a living.
In response to the injunction, MP and Trinamool Congress party leader Mahua Moitra said the following: “The Constitution permits me to eat when I want.”
Omar Abdullah, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, reacted to the statement by asking if it was OK to prohibit non-Muslim residents and tourists from eating in public during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting.
Others questioned why onions and garlic sales and purchases were not prohibited during this time. “Why limit yourself to only meat?”
Despite the notion that India is predominantly vegetarian, research indicates that only approximately 20% of Indians are vegetarian.
Hindus, who account for 80% of the country’s population, eat a lot of meat. Delhi’s status as India’s butter chicken capital may well be deserved, given that only a third of its people are vegetarian.
About The Author
