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Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials said that the closure of beef shops and slaughterhouses on Independence Day and Krishna Janmashtami is not new, and that the practice has been in place for over two decades. This year, however, the two occasions fall on consecutive days, resulting in a rare two-day ban.
Speaking to TNM, Dr Abdul Wakil, GHMC’s Chief Veterinary Officer, said that while the Janmashtami beef ban has been enforced for the past 20 years, Independence Day too has seen similar restrictions citing law and order concerns. “This is the first time in two decades that both are falling on consecutive days,” he said.
The current order has triggered mixed reactions in the city. While some residents supported the Janmashtami closure citing religious sentiments, they questioned the need for a ban on August 15. Others called for clarity on whether such orders are motivated by security concerns or religious considerations.
The GHMC’s official reason for the beef ban is law and order, with officials stating that even permitted cattle transport could lead to “untoward incidents.”
The restriction applies only to beef and cattle, and not to chicken, mutton, or fish. On other occasions like Gandhi Jayanti and Gandhi Vardhanthi, goat meat sales are banned, while Bakrid has also seen temporary beef restrictions due to high cattle availability.
The ban was challenged in court by a Hyderabad-based law student who had petitioned against the order, questioning the need for a two-day restriction. Activist Vijay Gopal, who attended the hearing, told TNM that “the Telangana High Court said that the GHMC order applies only to beef and cattle, not chicken or mutton and declined to issue any further directions”.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi called the August 15 restriction “unconstitutional,” while another city resident sought a relaxation on the ban citing livelihood concerns.
Criticising the order and asking the GHMC to handle the city’s civic issues, Vijay posted, “Who eats what should not be your concern, @CommissionrGHMC. Focus on roads, potholes, storm water drains, and other civic issues instead of policing food choices.”