Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam in Uttar Pradesh (UP) has reversed an earlier order that banned the sale of raw meat in the city from 2-10 April in the wake of Navratri.
The updated order said that people should follow the instructions laid down by the Uttar Pradesh government.
The previous order said, "It has been directed by the mayor to maintain cleanliness in temples and to close meat shops during the period. It has been directed that cleanliness be maintained in respective zones, in temples, and to ensure meat shops remain closed."
Authorities had described it as a routine order, which was issued every year.
"The order is issued every year, and the ban only exists during Navratri. The sale of raw meat will remain prohibited in these five zones. The communication has been given to all Nagar Nigam departments concerned," Ghaziabad Mayor Asha Sharma had said while announcing the ban.
Food Safety Officer NN Jha went to many areas of the city on Friday and asked meat shops and non-vegetarian hotels to shut down. A video being shared online shows Jha saying, "If the shops are opened, then they will be destroyed by using a bulldozer." NN Jha said that all meat shops would remain closed during Navratri.
On 31 March, Loni MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar wrote to the district magistrate highlighting that several restaurants in his constituency were selling meat in the open. He requested officials to take action against such establishments to "prevent any possible spread of disease."
Gurjar has also issued several appeals to close meat shops during festivals in the past.
Last year in October, members of several Hindutva outfits forcefully shut down meat shops in states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana. Videos of the same went viral on social media.
(With inputs from The Indian Express.)
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