Bombay HC to civic bodies: Decide on Jains’ meat ban request during Paryushan

MUMBAI: Bombay high court on Thursday directed all municipal corporations in Maharashtra to urgently decide the representations made by various charitable trusts of the Jain community seeking a temporary ban on the slaughtering of animals and sale of meat in view of "Paryushan Parva". The high court's division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar was hearing a PIL filed by Sheth Motishaw Lalbaug Jain Charities.The representations must be decided in accordance with the law and the judgments of different courts that had earlier ruled on the issue, said HC.The petitioner, a public charitable trust registered under the Maharashtra Public Trust Act, 1950, representing the followers of Jainism and 30 other Jain charitable trusts, had made representations to BMC and other civic bodies seeking a temporary ban on the slaughtering of animals during the Paryushan Parva, between Aug 31 and Sept 7.The petitioner, through senior counsel Beni Chaterjee, said various aspects of the Jain belief have been highlighted to the civic bodies. The representation highlighted one of the most significant tenets of Jainism—ahimsa (non-violence), HC noted.The petition claimed slaughter continues during Paryushan Parva, detrimental to the ethos of Jainism and may tend to create a vitiating environment.HC also heard govt pleader Purnima Kantharia and civic lawyers. Chaterjee confined his plea to seeking a direction to the BMC and other civic bodies to decide their Aug 21, 2024, representation soon.HC disposed of the PIL with a direction to BMC, and municipal corporations of Nashik, Pune and Mira-Bhayandar to decide by Aug 30 on the slaughter ban plea during Paryushan Parva. Dr K Pathan, general manager of Deonar abattoir of BMC, was present in court.HC clarified it had made no observation on the merits of the Jain charities' claim and has left their plea for the civic bodies to decide.