The South Delhi Mayor told NDTV that they will "strictly close" all meat shops
BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma extended support to the controversial ban on meat during Navratras announced by two Delhi mayors, and said the ban should be extended across the country. "I request Muslims that don't come into any controversies," he told reporters.
"I welcome the decision which was taken by South MCD. I want all three municipal corporations to implement this. Also, I want Delhi-NCR and the whole country to implement this," he told reporters today.
Exhorting everyone to follow the decision, he said, "Our culture says that we have to respect every religion... Modi government schemes are for every religion".
The sale of meat was barred during 9-day Navratra festival by Mayors of South and East Delhi yesterday. While no official order was issued, South Delhi Mayor Mukesh Suryan wrote to South Delhi Municipal Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti saying there was no need to open meat shops as 'most people' don't consume non-veg food in this period.
"Religious beliefs and sentiments of devotees are affected" when they come across meat shops on their way to offer daily prayers and have to bear the foul smell, he added in the letter.
The East Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Shyam Sundar Agarwal issued similar advise.
Later the South Delhi Mayor told NDTV that they will "strictly close" all meat shops. "When meat is not sold, people will not eat it," Mr Suryan added, defending comparing the move to prohibit drinking water in public during Ramadan in some Islamic nations.
In Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad -- an area under the National Capital region, there was a similar move. But the order banning the sale of meat in Ghaziabad from 2-10 April was reversed on Saturday by Mayor Asha Sharma.
The controversy comes amid row over halal meat shops in Karnataka, where activists of right wing Bajrang Dal attacked a Muslim vendor. A police case has been filed over the issue, which is seen as backlash over the hijab row.