The Congress-led Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Tuesday issued a public notice invoking a ban on sale of meat on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. Following the furore in Maharashtra over the meat ban over a Jain religious event, the issue of a meat ban in Karnataka had also been raised. The state bans meat for nine days in a year.
ToI reported that Kantharaju L, Assistant Director (Animal Husbandry), BBMP as saying that the order was issued every year for the festivals. “The urban development department decided on no liquor, no meat days. BBMP issued the order,” he said.
However, the urban development minister, Vinay Kumar and the food and civil supplied minister Dinesh Gundu blamed BJP government for the circular enforcing the meat ban.
According to the Times of India report, they now say that the meat ban will not be enforced in Bengaluru.
“The Congress government is now in power, and the circular no longer holds good. There can be slaughter and sale of meat on Ganesh Chaturthi,“ they said.
The Times of India quoted Kannada writer K Maralusiddappa saying, “if some people want to eat meat, let them. If some people want to celebrate Ganesha festival, let them. Let people do what they want. Instead of taking such stupid decisions, BBMP should focus on repairing bad roads and clearing garbage as the entire city has become a dustbin.”
Writer Baragur Ramachandrappa felt it wasn’t BBMP’s job to what people should eat on festival days, instead they should focus on solving civic problems which are rampant in the city.
Kantharaju told the newspaper that meat and liquor were not sold on Gandhi Jayanti. “Meat ban is imposed on Maha Shivaratri, Sarvodaya Day , Sri Rama Navami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Buddha Poornima, Ambedkar Jayanti, Mahaveer Jayanti and Krishna Janmashtami,” he added.
The animal husbandry officer said that selling of meat still continues in some places on the day of the ban.
“We ensure that government-run shops and open markets are closed. But private individuals and small units continue selling meat beyond our radar,” said Kantharaju.
Organizations like Nyayakkagi Navu and Samata Sainik Dal, which work with marginalized sections, have protested such bans as it interferes with people's eating habits, said the TOI report.