Varanasi: For the first time, all meat, fish and poultry stores within the municipal limits of Varanasi would remain closed during the chaitra Navratri Festival That begins on Sunday. A meeting of Varanasi Municipal CorporationExecutive Committee chaired by the mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari He made a decision in this regard on Thursday.
EID coincides with the Navratri festival this year and it is likely to be held on Monday, depending on the sighting of the moon. Tiwari told Toi: “They (Muslims) should consider that their Hindu brothers find Navratri more sacred. Then, at least for nine days, that it is.”
Do not stop them for 360 days: Mayor
The mayor has requested strict compliance with the executive decision. When Tiwari’s attention was called EID during the same period, he told Toi: “Since the proposal of the closure of meat stores during Navratri was approved in the Executive, it would be strictly implemented.”
“They (Muslims) should consider that their Hindu brothers find Navratri the most sacred. So, at least for nine days, do anyone stop them for 360 days?” Added. Tiwari said that Varanasi is a “religious and cultural capital” with almost 2 lakh of pilgrims visiting the city of the temple daily. “A tradition must be followed, and it should not be seen as something forced,” he added.
At Thursday’s meeting, the member of the Executive Committee Madan Mohan Dubey proposed the closure of stores that sell meat, fish and poultry during Navratri. The committee also prohibited the sale of cigarettes near religious places and schools and approved to collect a license rate to cigarette sellers.
Earlier this month, VMC officials, led by the city veterinary officer, Dr. Ajay Pratap Singh, had launched an impulse to execute a decision taken by the corporation for the closure of 26 stores that sell non -vegetarian food in the vicinity of the Kashi Vishwanath temple. The impulse also covered localities and markets dominated by Muslims from the areas of Naisadak and Beniabagh.
The Prohibition on the Meat and Liquor Shops Near the Temple was proposed by Corporator of the Divishveshwar, Indresh Kumar Singh, Under Section 91 (2) Of The Municipal Corporation Act 1959. During During A Discussion On The Same Proposal in the VMC in Jan Within A Radius of Two to Five Km In Temple Towns Like Ayodhya, Mathura and Haridwar. The proposal had been approved unanimously.