Mahua Moitra On South Delhi Meat Ban Row: Constitution Allows Me To Eat When I Like

Mukesh Suryan, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor, wrote a letter demanding ban on meat shops during navratri. This letter was followed by another one by the East Delhi mayor. The mayor said in the letter that "most people don't consume non-vegetarian food". Lok Sabha Member of Parliament of Trinamool Congress Mahua Moitra made a tweet about the row and wrote that she lives in South Delhi and "The Constitution allows me to eat meat whenever I like and the shopkeeper to run his trade.

As per the reports, the officials have said that they did not receive any official directive regarding the meat ban but many meat shops in South Delhi markets were found closed on Tuesday. Omar Abdullah also tweeted about the issue. "During Ramzan we don’t eat between sunrise & sunset. I suppose it’s OK if we ban every non-Muslim resident or tourist from eating in public, especially in the Muslim dominated areas. If majoritarianism is right for South Delhi, it has to be right for J&K. " The National Conference leader's remark J&K created quite a stir.

South Delhi Meat Ban Row:

The meat row became a bigger controversy when Bharatiya Janta Party Member of Parliament from Delhi Sahib Verma said that the meat ban should not be restricted to Delhi but be extended to the rest of the country. The MP said, "Navratri festival is there with people holding fasts and worshipping the goddess. Whether it's the Muslim community or others, they should respect it which is what our culture says. In fact, this should be implemented all over the country."

As per the data provided by the International Institute of Population Sciences in 2017, 70 percent of Indian consumed meat at least occasionally. According to the Registrar General Survey of 2014, 63.2 percent meat is consumed by people living in the national capital. Many social media users outraged against the meat row. One user wrote, "There are many Muslims who can't afford online meat shopping at Licious etc. For their iftar requirements they would depend on neighbourhood meat shops. Meat ban will hit them most." 

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Another user wrote, "Have been fasting during the Chaitra Navratri for the last 3-4 years and I wholeheartedly oppose the meat ban. Not eating is my choice and eating is theirs - both are personal. We don't need the government to dictate who eats what."

" When muslims can give up water and food for God in the scorching heat then what is some meat? ban it. who cares," wrote another.