After Maharashtra, the state government of Gujarat has banned the sale of non-vegetarian food during the Jain festival of Paryushan. Sale of chicken, fish and other meat will be banned in municipalities from Aug. 29 to Sept. 5.
Slaughter-houses in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat will remain closed during this period but sale of meat will continue in these cities, the Times of India reported.
The Gujarat high court has sought an explanation from the government on this matter. The matter will now be taken up for hearing on Thursday.
"Government has given order following earlier order of Supreme Court and present legal provisions which allow banning of slaughter of animals and sale of meat and fish. This practice is being observed for the past several years," Nitin Patel, the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, was quoted as saying by the publication.
Keeping the Jain community's religious sentiments in mind, a Supreme Court ruling in 2008 approved closure of slaughter-houses during the Paryushan festival.
On Monday, mutton and chicken shops across Mumbai remain closed during the start of the Jain festival. Members of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) protested against the closure of the shops. "They can observe their religion, but why should they force other people to abstain from eating meat? We are against this sort of behaviour and have asked meat shops in our area to remain open," MNS corporator Sandeep Deshpande was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.
