'Violates Freedom': Delhi Minorities Panel Issues Notice To Mayors Over Meat Ban

The commission sought a detailed report within 24 hours and has asked the mayors to appear before it.

Fearing action by officials, several meat shops in Delhi remained closed as both the mayors had declared that fines would be imposed on violators.

(Photo: Eshwar/Altered by The Quint)

The Delhi Minorities Commission on Thursday, 7 April, issued a show cause notice to the mayors and commissioners of the municipal corporations seeking an explanation for the ban on sale of meat during the nine-day Hindu festival of Navratri.

The state minorities commission sought a detailed report within 24 hours and has asked the mayors to appear before it on Friday, 8 April.

Several meat shops remained closed after the mayors of south and east Delhi, on 4 April, pushed for the ban on the sale of meat during Navratri, saying that devotees were "uncomfortable" with the sight of meat in the open.

Fearing action by officials, several meat shops remained closed as both the mayors had declared that fines would be imposed on violators.

Minority Commission Chairman Zakir Khan said that the mayors’ orders violate the basic freedom guaranteed in the Constitution. He said as per media reports, "The Mayor is acting like a law unto himself."

The notice dated 6 April stated,

“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.”

He asked the mayors of south and east municipal districts forthwith "on which laid down rule and regulation, it has been decided by you to ban or shut down meat shops during Navratri."

Zakir Khan said on Thursday that the ban imposed in Delhi has created an "atmosphere of fear" in some areas. He said, "We've asked South MCD and East DMC to explain as per which rule it was decided to ban or shut meat shops during Navratri. Due to this, an atmosphere of fear was created in some areas. Some meat shop owners had also shut their shops."

Mayors' Orders

SDMC Mayor Mukkesh Suryaan, in a letter to the commissioner, had asked the meat shops in the area to shut down till 11 April as it made devotees "uncomfortable".

Further, he also said that the "foul smell" from meat shops made devotees who were passing by feel uneasy. He also added that the shops were unhygienic. Because of these reasons, he sought to shut all meat shops from April 2 to 11 during the nine-day Hindu festival of Navratri.

Later, East Delhi Mayor Shyam Sundar Agarwal and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma extended their support to the controversial ban on meat.