New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi has imposed a complete ban on sale of meat and liquor in Mathura and Vrindavan, acting on the long-standing demand of saints to prohibit alcohol & non-vegetarian food in the Braj region.
After the order, Braj region (Mathura-Vrindavan) will no longer have access to meat and alcohol. The move has been welcomed by the saints community but equally criticised by the Opposition and those representating minorities.
Ever since CM Yogi proposed such ban at Krishnotsav, the lobbyists and meat mafias are training guns at the state govt, accusing it of driving a wedge between communities and vitiating the communal harmony.
Why the need for meat/liquor ban in Mathura?
While announcing the ban during Krishnotsav on Sept 1, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth had also asked the authorities to make arrangements for alternate employment for people engaged in meat & liquor trade.
He also urged those engaged in meat business to take up milk selling and milk trade to save the glory of Lord Krishna’s birthplace. He also asked meat & liquor businessmen to contribute and revive the milk industry that the birthplace of Lord Krishan is known for.
After BJP formed govt in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, CM Yogi had declared Vrindavan, Nandgaon, Barsana, Govardhan, Gokul, Baldev and Radhakund as pilgrimage sites.
Since, these pilgrimage places are visited by lakhs of pilgrims every year, there was a crying need to preserve the ‘novelty and character’ of these holy towns.
Oppn barbs Vs Yogi govt’s promise of crackdown on meat trade
Opposition parties led by Samajwadi Party have questioned the motive behind such a move, just ahead of Assembly elections. SP MLC Sunil Sajan called it a move by Yogi govt to divert attention from real issues and indulging in politicking rather than working for people’s welfare.
Others accused the state govt of exploiting such issues to strengthen its pro-Hindu image and consolidate majority community votes ahead of 2022 Assembly elections. However, government spokespersons don’t see a valid reason in it. The allegations doesn’t hold water as such crackdown on illegal meat business was already in BJP manifesto, when it contested for 2017 Assembly elections.
After Yogi-led BJP govt came to power, it also imposed ban on illegal meat trade and banned many slaughter houses in the state.
A blanket ban on smuggling of cows was enforced in the state, post BJP govt formation in 2017. CM Yogi had himself directed officials to maintain zero tolerance in cow slaughter and illegal meat trade.
The BJP manifesto had talked of banning all the illegal slaughter houses and also barring those mechanized ones from operation.
Soon after, the officials had swung into action. Many slaughter houses shut down their shutters across the state while police launched vigil on illegal transportation of cattle and meat.
