Pratiba Raman/Bengaluru
The nation is celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi after two years of low-key celebrations owing to the pandemic. While there are pandals and mandals held in every nook and corner, Karnataka is already heating up with Savarkar photos with elections fast approaching.
Adding more meat to the controversy is the circular sent out by the civic body in the capital city of Bengaluru. The notice issued by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) dated August 26, 2022, stated that on Ganesha Chaturthi (August 31), all slaughterhouses that come under the jurisdiction of BBMP are completely prohibited from slaughtering animals and selling meat to shops.
A similar circular was sent out by the BBMP on Krishna Janmashtami that took place on August 19.
“It’s a matter of a day. I respect the sentiments of other religions,” said Humera Ali, a renowned artist in the city. Another resident Syed Hussain said that he lives in a neighbourhood that is home to both Hindus and Muslims, and avoiding meat for a day promotes brotherhood.
However, some did not take it too kindly when the BBMP went ahead with another circular listing nine days in a year when slaughterhouses under their jurisdiction would be banned from slaughtering animals and selling meat to shops.
“I sell around 1000 kg of meat every day to a few hotels here. I get around Rs 600 per kg. I need to take care of my business to pay my workers and fend for my family. With such an order, imagine the loss I’d incur in a day. Who’ll feed me and the workers for the loss incurred out of the nine days?” questioned Yousuf Babu, who sells meat at Russell Market. His family has been running this business for 100 years now with four generations.
Yousuf added that he had never once seen such orders in the past.
Circular banning sale of meat on Ganesh Chaturthi and other festivals
Social activist Ameen Mudassir was part of the COVID response team that came together to help every human being stranded by the pandemic irrespective of caste, religion, and other barriers. He had worked closely with the BBMP, but here he wasn’t too pleased.
“A government’s order or a civic body’s circular must build bridges and make things more inclusive,” he explained. “But this circular instead feels like the mouthpiece of those fringe elements,” declared Abubaker Siddiqh, a video journalist.
Zia Fariya, a yoga instructor, who works with people from various walks of life and religion, said that one should be able to eat anything at any time. Echoing the same sentiment was Afreen Hussein, a student, who claimed, “We are a secular country. Keeping aside festivals, eating anything is a basic human freedom. Shouldn’t we all be allowed to eat anything any day?”
From the issue of the Hijab, and Halal to this, most believe these instructions are purely politically motivated. As Saifur Rahman, a student, mentioned, “One community will respect another community. We don’t need a circular for that.”
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