Delhi minorities commission issues show cause notice to mayors over meat ban

The Delhi Minorities Commission on Thursday issued show-cause notices to the mayors and commissioners of the national capital’s three municipal corporations seeking an explanation of their decision to order meat vendors to close shop during Navratri.

The commission’s chairman, Zakir Khan, sought a detailed report within 24 hours and asked the concerned officials to appear on Friday. Khan wrote: “… such proclamation can also incite and encourage hoggish behaviour on the ground. Senior authorities and the courts should step in and put a stop to such behaviour.”

On Tuesday the mayors of south and east Delhi kicked up a massive political row after asking meat shops in their jurisdiction to close during Navratri. The argument offered was ‘most people do not consume non-vegetarian food during these days’.

However, no official order was issued by the municipal corporations.

East Delhi mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal on Wednesday issued similar diktats to the Ghazipur slaughterhouse – that it close for the last three days of Navratri – April 8,9 and 10. He claimed the closure was a ‘routine, yearly exercise’.

South Delhi mayor Mukesh Suryan threatened serious action if meat shops in the area did not close, news agency PTI reported.

Importantly, such decisions can only be taken by a municipal commissioner and not a mayor.

Opposition political leaders have raised their voices against the meat ban in the national capital. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that ‘going by the same logic of the ‘majority’, everybody in J&K should be banned from eating in public during Ramzan’.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday said that the Constitution allowed her to eat meat whenever she liked, the same way it allows a shopkeeper the freedom to run his trade.