'No New Decision...': Fadnavis On Meat Ban Order By Mumbai Suburb Civic Body For Independence Day

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis commented on the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation's (KDMC) order of banning meat on Aug. 15, that is Independence Day, and said that the decision has been in place for a long time, and is not a new decision that the government has taken.

"This decision has been in place since 1988. We have not made any new decision. Even when Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister, this decision existed, and it is still in place now. We have not taken any new decision," he said, while speaking to reporters.

The statement comes after KDMC's order of shutting slaughter houses and banning chicken and mutton sales on Independence Day stirred a political storm in the state.

A number of opposition leaders have, since its announcement, expressed their disagreement on the decision.

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale told reporters: "I feel the decision taken by the municipal authorities regarding the sale of meat is not entirely correct. People have the right to choose what they eat. If any restriction is imposed for religious reasons, there should be no objection for those affected."

"These are just unnecessary matters. The focus should be on what facilities the public is getting instead," Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray was quoted by news agency IANS as saying.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also criticised the decision while emphasising on the freedom to choose what one wants to eat.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar echoed the Deputy CM's views and said, "The decision taken by Ajit Pawar or the statement he made is welcome. Our view is the same: there should be no discrimination regarding what people eat, everyone should be allowed to eat what they wish. The Constitution gives us the right to eat, speak, and protest. If anyone exercises power to restrict this, it goes against the Constitution."