The BMC’s move to ban the sale of meat during the Jain festival of Paryushan has ran into controversy with the city’s fishermen community alleging that civic officials were not allowing them to sell fish during the period.
Members of the Koli Mahila Sangharsh Samiti (KMSS), headed by Trisa Killedar, on Wednesday called upon mayor Sunil Prabhu and demanded that the BMC take action against civic officials forcing a ban on the sale of fish. The Koli women alleged that by citing the civic body’s ban on sale of meat during Paryushan, civic officials were not allowing them to sell fish in civic markets.
Satish Mahajan of KMSS said, “The BMC has banned only the sale of meat during Paryushan. However, in some of the municipal markets, the civic officials are also trying to prevent the sale of fish. They are also opposing fishing on city ports. This has affected the trade of the fishermen community in the city.”
The BMC has already announced a ban on the sale of meat on four days during the Paryushan period, from September 2 to 9.
Mr Prabhu assured the Koli delegation that there is no ban on the sale of fish in the city during Paryushan. He also instructed the civic administration to take strict action against officials who are opposing selling of fish in the civic markets.
The issue of ban on meat in the city during Paryushan was also discussed in the civic standing committee, in which the difference between ruling alliance partners Shiv Sena and BJP, came to the fore. While Sena was in favour of closing down only Deonar abattoir and not implementing a blanket ban on selling of meat, BJP demanded that sale of meat be banned in the entire city.
Raising the issue, Samajwadi Party group leader Rais Shaikh said, “BMC’s decision to shut down the abattoir has been taken to appease a certain community. However, it has an adverse effect on the livelihood of many others.”
Shiv Sena group leader Yashodhar Phanse said the ban should be only on abattoirs during Paryushan, not in the entire city.
However, BJP corporator Manoj Kotak said, “Next year, we will demand a ban on selling of meat for the entire Paryushan period of nine days.” MNS leaders on Wednesday met officials of the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation requesting them to revoke the decision.