Will ensure meat ban not enforced during Jain festival: Shiv Sena

Political acrimony over the ban on meat by Mumbai civic bodies during the Jain fasting days has increased with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s ally, the Shiv Sena, vowing on Thursday it would ensure the restriction is not implemented.

Political acrimony over the ban on meat by Mumbai civic bodies during the Jain fasting days has increased with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s ally, the Shiv Sena, vowing on Thursday it would ensure the restriction is not implemented.

The Sena’s stand came in the wake of Opposition parties slamming the order by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) — ruled by Sena and BJP — prohibiting meat sale for eight days from September 11 to 18 when the Jain community will observe fasting period ‘Paryushan’.

Taking a strident position on the matter, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said, “We will ensure there is no ban on sale of meat for the eight days.”

The Sena is the dominant partner in BMC where it shares power with BJP. The BJP, which has pressed for the ban, held that the decision was taken by the civic bodies and the state government has no role in it. Despite the Nationalist Congress Party voicing its reservations against the ban, the the NCP-controlled Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation also announced suspension of sale of meat till September 17.