BJP isolated as parties slam 4-day meat ban

MUMBAI: With the Shiv Sena, MNS, Congress and NCP slamming the BMC’s four-day shutdown of the Deonar abattoir during Paryushan, the Jain community’s week-long period of penance, the BJP finds itself isolated on the issue. Accusing the BJP of appeasing the Jain community for political reasons, MNS chief Raj Thackeray has urged the party not to “play politics” on the veg-non veg issue. “No community should be appeased on the question of dietary preferences,” Raj told mediapersons on Tuesday.The BJP made fresh attempts to extend the abattoir ban to four extra days to cover the entire stretch of Paryushan. However, the proposal was opposed by the other parties.Sources said both the Sena and MNS may ask its followers to hold “meat khao” fests across the city in the coming days. “Gutkha has been banned by the government. However, you can get gutkha anywhere and at any time you want. Same is with the ban on mutton shops,” said a Sena activist.“The BJP should not forget that this is Mumbai, not Gujarat...When will the BJP cure itself of its Gujarat obsession?” the MNS president asked sarcastically. Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief Sanjay Nirupam came down heavily on the BJP for determining the dietary preferences of citizens. “It is impolite, actually it is blasphemous to tell citizens what to eat and what not to eat. The BJP has encroached on the citizens’ personal space,” Nirupam said at a press meet.Senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut, MP, described the BJP’'s crusade to shut down mutton shops during Paryushan as “religious fundamentalism”.Stating that the decision to shut the Deonar abattoir for four days—September 10, 13, 17 and 18—has been taken by the civic administration, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar said CM Devendra Fadnavis had nothing to do with the decision.MNS corporator Sandip Deshpande accused the BJP of appeasing the Jain community for votes. “The BJP has always been hammering the Congress Party for appeasing the Muslim community. Now, the BJP is appeasing the Jain community,” Deshpande said. Chaos reigned at the BMC’s general body meeting on Tuesday with leaders cutting across political lines opposing the meat ban. Rais Shaikh, Samajwadi party leader, said, “This is a violation of Mumbaikars basic rights (meat ban). The BMC letter states that municipal markets in Mumbai should not sell meat. Who has given the BMC commissioner rights on removing such a circular as to what would be cooked in the homes of Mumbaikars? One party’s wishes won’t work here.”However Manoj Kotak, BJP party leader in the BMC, said, “We have never said who should eat what and not. Why is the Opposition trying to show that the BJP government brought this ban. This circular was existing last year too, why wasn’t it opposed then?”