By asking the officials to ensure that no meat shops were opened during the Navratri festivities in the capital, Mayors of the South and East Municipal corporations have unnecessarily whipped up a controversy that instead of helping the BJP, could hurt it more. The Two Mayors have taken what they believed to be a populist stand in order to exploit the religious sentiments of the people. However, what has happened is that the Municipal Corporation of North which is also controlled by the Saffron Party has not endorsed what the Mayors of the two other civic bodies have expressed. Neither has the New Delhi Municipal Council which controls the civic affairs of Lutyens Delhi, issued any directive for the meat shops to be banned in areas falling under its jurisdiction. The political interpretation of the entire episode is that the BJP is divided over this matter with two Mayors on one side and both the NDMC and the North Delhi Municipal body on the other. Whatever may have been the reasons that prompted the two Mayors to say what they have said, it should be understood that every individual has the right to hold on to their beliefs in the same way as nobody has the authority to impose their thinking on others. Delhi is not only the national capital but one of the largest cosmopolitan cities in this country. People of different faiths, regions, and backgrounds live here and it is the responsibility of those who are in power that communal and social harmony is maintained at all costs in the larger interest of the residents. It is common sense that during the Navratri season, the demand for non-vegetarian food goes down so even the meat shops that are functional, keep only limited supplies. Several BJP spokespersons who appeared on TV shows to defend the indefensible actions of the two Mayors, also kept on giving the examples of how Garlic and Onion is also amongst the items which are not consumed during these festivals. However, they were unable to elaborate on why garlic and onion continued to be sold at vegetable shops. Obviously, people were consuming these two articles and that is why their demand remained. The Mayors should also be reminded that even during the Navratri season, as much as they may not like to admit, many restaurants in their respective areas also continue to sell non-vegetarian dishes. The food chains of the multinational companies are not affected by these views though they do accommodate vegetarians by serving special meals for their consumption. Delhi has a large presence of diplomats and foreigners who are mostly non-vegitarian.
They are free to buy and have whatever they want and therefore no attempt to alter this arrangement should be ever made. Knowing that they would not be able to implement this irrational directive, the municipal authorities had requested the police to help in the closure of meat shops. The police, particularly in a place like Delhi has multiple tasks and should it be their job to get shops shut instead of looking after the safety and security of the common citizens. The Indian festivals are widely celebrated by the Indian Armed Forces.
But they do not stop serving non-vegetarian food in the messes. Food should always be confined to individual choices and no attempt to foist any diktat should ever be made. The Mayors should therefore respect this right of the people and if they believe that this could help them to reap political dividends, they may be badly mistaken. The BJP’s performance in the three civic bodies, despite two terms, has left a lot to be desired. The Centre has now decided, rightly so, to reunify the three civic bodies. The effort should be to bring about better civic amenities for the residents, and such gimmicks are unnecessary and would hurt not only the party but also the larger interests of the community. Those who do not wish to consume alcohol or non-vegetarian food during the festivities have this right that should be respected. But foisting practices on the general population is both unconstitutional and out of place.