Delhi minorities panel issues show-cause notice to mayors on meat ban issue

The Delhi Minorities Commission has issued a showcause notice to mayors and commissioners of three municipal corporations here seeking an explanation on what basis have they decided to ban or shut meat shops during NavratriThe Delhi Minorities Commission has sought a detailed report within 24 hours and asked the mayors to appear before it on Friday A copy of the notice has been marked to commissioners of three civic bodiesThe south and east Delhi mayors had on Tuesday asked meat shops in their jurisdictions to remain shut during Navratri saying most people do not consume nonvegetarian food for these nine days even though there was no official order issued by the civic bodiesHowever there has been no such word from the North Delhi Municipal Corporation which like the other two is also ruled by the BJP Mayors dont have the power to issue such orders which can only be taken by a municipal commissionerNews reports about the subject have observed that the mayor is acting as a law unto himself What he is calling for violates the basic free guaranteed in the ConstitutionSuch proclamation can also insight and encourage hoggish behaviour on the ground Senior authorities and the courts should step in and put a stop to such behaviour the Minority Commission Chairman Zakir Khan said in the show cause notice issued on ThursdayHe sought an explanation from the mayors forthwith on which laid down rule and regulation it has been decided by you to ban or shut down meat shops during NavratriFear spread wide across meat markets in the city after South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Mukesh Suryan threatened serious action if the meat shops were not shut down during the nineday festivalEast Delhi Mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal followed suit and called for the shops shutting downHowever most meat shops in the city opened on Wednesday with owners citing an absence of official order against itYunus Idres Qureshi Delhi Meat Association vice president said the meat business across Delhi is functioning as usual as no official order has been issuedThe sale of meat is anyway impacted during Navaratri Our sale drops to 2025 percent during Navaratri every year We have not received any official order asking us to shut our shops hence our business is functioning as usual The mayors request is politically motivated he saidShopkeepers in South Delhi including Jamia Nagar Zakir Nagar and INA said if an official order comes they will close their shopsSeveral meat markets remained shut on Tuesday under fear of action from the authoritiesMeat shops in Zakir Nagar and Jamia Nagar too were found open There are around 15 shops in Jamia Nagar and the majority of them were openThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever