Amritsar walled city ban triggers confusion, resentment among residents and traders

Amritsar: The recent ban on liquor, meat, tobacco and other intoxicants in the walled city of Amritsar has struck at the personal freedoms of families who consume non-veg at home, host small gatherings, or smoke cigarettes."We thought only meat shops would shut down. We could have bought meat from outside the walled city and cooked at home," said Mohinder Kaur, a resident of Guru Bazar and self-confessed chicken lover who cooks meat almost every day. "But now there is uncertainty. If we bring meat home, will it be considered a crime? Will we be punished for what we eat with our families?"This sense of anxiety echoes across neighbourhoods like Shakti Nagar. Ashok Kumar, a long-time resident, questioned the logic of banning the habits practiced within one's own home. "I have been smoking at home for years. Will it now be an offence if I smoke or eat meat in my house? And what about eggs?" he asked. "Omelette is our family's daily breakfast. What are we supposed to do now?"As residents grapple with unanswered questions, traders have started to mobilise. Meat and tobacco sellers in the walled city formed bodies such as the Amritsar Non-Veg Shop Association and the Tobacco Shop Association to collectively oppose the decision and prepare for legal action.Manmohan Singh, who runs a chicken shop inside B K Dutt Gate, said a memorandum outlining their demands was submitted to the deputy commissioner's office on Tuesday, and a meeting was scheduled for Wednesday.Calling the decision politically motivated, Manmohan Singh said: "This is not a well-thought-out policy but a hasty move. Similar restrictions already exist in the galliara (aisle) around the Golden Temple. They (Punjab govt) should have remained limited to that area. Extending the restrictions across the Walled city will devastate the livelihoods of thousands."He also informed that had sought a meeting with chief minister Bhagwant Mann to discuss the issue with him.The move has also drawn sharp political criticism. Former minister and president of Durgiana temple trust Laxmi Kanta Chawla questioned the govt's definition of a "holy city"."Will the govt now expel people who consume meat, liquor or tobacco from the walled city," she asked while challenging the moral and constitutional basis of the ban. "Is it only the walled city that is sacred, and has the entire area outside it turned impure," she said, pointing out the apparent hypocrisy.Chawla said outside the walled city, hotels, restaurants and liquor shops operated openly, and slaughterhouses functioned regularly. "If respecting religious sentiments is truly the objective, then ban meat and tobacco across the entire city. Enforcing it in a limited area is nothing but a discriminatory policy," the former minister added. MSID:: 126250852 413 |