The recent declaration by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and the district administration of Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh stating that all meat shops would be closed during the nine-day Navratri festival was a surprising development for many, including the majority community members. This is especially new for the residents of South Delhi, who have not experienced such a ban before. However, a few years ago, residents of Ghaziabad faced a similar ban on the consumption of non-vegetarian food during the nine-day fast period before Dussehra.
Initially, the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation announced that only meat shops located within 200 meters of a temple would be closed during the nine-day period from April 2 to April 11. However, the State government clarified that it had not issued any such order. Despite this, some municipal bodies still issued orders for the closure of meat shops during that period.
It was discovered that Nand Kishor Gurjar, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from the Loni Assembly constituency in Ghaziabad, had been writing to the district administration over the past few years, demanding the closure of all meat shops during Navratri. This demand eventually became a regular practice, despite not being covered under any law of the Constitution. Similar bans have also been implemented in Haryana since the BJP formed the government in the State, causing economic distress to all communities involved in the meat trade.
For the people of Delhi, this ban on meat during Navratri was an unexpected development. Although non-vegetarians in North India traditionally abstain from consuming meat on Tuesdays, this ban took many by surprise. South Delhi Mayor Mukkesh Suryaan wrote a letter to the Commissioner of the SDMC, asking for the closure of all meat shops during the nine-day period, stating that the “foul smell” offended the religious sentiments of Hindus. However, there was no ban on the sale of alcohol or onions or garlic during this period.
The objective of this ban seemed to be to hurt the economic livelihoods of those involved in the meat trade, particularly Muslims, rather than genuinely addressing the sentiments of Hindus. It also appeared to be an attempt to polarize votes in favor of the BJP in the upcoming elections to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Opposition parties criticized the meat ban, with politicians like Mahua Moitra and Omar Abdullah arguing that individuals should have the freedom to eat meat and shopkeepers should have the freedom to sell it. Meanwhile, in another related event, a controversy erupted in Jawaharlal Nehru University when a group of students objected to meat being served on the hostel menu on the occasion of Ram Navami.
It is important to note that there is more evidence showing that India has more non-vegetarians than vegetarians. The extent of overall vegetarianism is estimated to be around 20-30% of the population, while the extent of beef eating is likely to be higher than what is claimed. There are cultural and political pressures that affect reported and actual food habits, leading to an over-stating of vegetarianism. The recent bans on the sale of meat during Navratri further exemplify the valorization of vegetarianism in India.