Kalyan Meat Ban Row: Congress leaders and workers staged a protest outside the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation headquarters on Friday. They carried live chickens to oppose the civic body’s ban on animal slaughter and meat sales on Independence Day. Heavy security was deployed in Kalyan between Shivaji Chowk and Shankarrao Chowk. Police detained several demonstrators as a preventive measure. "We had requested the KDMC (Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation) to withdraw the order banning the sale of meat (on I-Day). But KDMC ignored our request. We are protesting against this order," District Congress president Sachin Pote said. Pote had earlier warned that Congress could release live chickens in protest, while NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad threatened to host a “mutton party” if the ban was not withdrawn.
According to the media reports, Meat sellers’ associations, community groups, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena joined the demonstration.
The ban has drawn sharp political criticism. MNS chief Raj Thackeray said no government or municipal body has the right to decide what someone can eat. "Why impose a meat ban? I have told my people to continue... What does the government want? Who eats what—should the government decide? The municipality or the government should not decide what people eat," he said a quoted by IANS.
In addition to Kalyan-Dombivli, the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation banned animal slaughter and meat sales on August 15 and 20. Reports also indicate that the Malegaon Municipal Corporation in Nashik district has issued a similar order.
(With inputs from agencies)