'To be, or not to be Open, that is the Question': Meat Traders after South Delhi Mayor’s Navratri Diktat

Confusion, fear and even submission – two days after a letter from South Delhi Municipal Corporation mayor Mukesh Suryan seeking meat ban for Navratri, News18’s spot check found most traders unsure of whether they are allowed to keep their shops open, in the absence of an order from the South MCD.

Sources in the South MCD said a mayor’s letter is not an order and a policy issue needs an approval of the House. They added they don’t see the matter being taken up in the next few days.

Navratri began on April 2 and will continue till April 11.

MAYORSPEAK

Suryan on Monday wrote to commissioner Gyanesh Bharti seeking closure of meat shops during Navratri.

“During Navratri days, people visit temples to pay their respect to the Goddess and to seek blessings for themselves and their families. During these days, people forgo even use of onion and garlic in their diet and the sight of meat being sold in open or near temples makes them uncomfortable.”

He reiterated his stand on Tuesday, this time with a warning. “Those who open their shops will be punished and fined. Our enforcement teams will check on ground.”

While South MCD issued no official order or clarification, the mayor stood by his statement. In a conversation with CNN-News 18, he mentioned his letter to the commissioner, but kept mum on any executive order. He further said that departmental action has been initiated, but could not answer how it could be enforced in the absence of an order.

GROUND REPORT

The news and social media coverage of the statement ensured that meat shops in parts of South and West Delhi, which fall under South MCD’s jurisdiction, were closed on Tuesday.

“We got the licence to sell meat from the South MCD. Even though we don?t support such a sudden ban, we closed our shops on Tuesday. Later that evening, I called a zone officer, and he confirmed that there was no such order. Now, we have opened our shops,” said a meat seller at INA market, on condition of anonymity.

“We don?t see high sales on Tuesday, but are getting enough customers these days. While Navratri has a negative impact, it has been balanced by Ramzan,” said a worker at New Pakiza Meat Shop at Lajpat Nagar. “Our owner has not asked us to shut the shop. We don?t know of any such order,” he added.

Meat sellers in West Delhi’s Tagore Garden, one of the prime markets, shut their shops. “Humne to akhbar mein padha aur dukan band kar li, nahin karenge to vo fine laga denge aur seal bhi kar sakte hain [We kept our shop shut fearing fine or sealing].”

Yunus Idres Qureshi, vice-president, Delhi Meat Association, said meat business across Delhi is functioning as usual as no official order has been issued.

“The sale of meat is anyway impacted during Navratri. Our sale drops to 20-25% every year. We have not received any official order asking us to shut our shops, hence our business is functioning as usual. The mayor’s request is politically motivated,? he told PTI.

POLITICAL VOICES

The Opposition, on the other hand, termed it a political stunt. Congress?s Abhishek Dutt said, “Even the mayor knows that he has no such power. He can only advice the commissioner and without an order from the commissioner, it can’t be enforced. It is a tactic to get media attention.”

The Aam Aadmi Party, too, asked for the official order. AAP MLA Somnath Bharti said, “An order of this kind is basically to deflect (the attention of) people from actual matters. Look at the unemployment, inflation, petrol and fuel price rise. The government has failed on all fronts.”

Read all the Latest News India and Breaking News here