india

Updated: Sep 10, 2015 16:25 IST

The Rajasthan government on Wednesday ordered a three-day ban on sale of meat during the Jain festival this month, two days after a similar measure in Mumbai raised a huge controversy.

The state's directorate of local bodies issued the order that slaughterhouses as well as meat and fish shops are kept closed on September 17 and 18 (for Paryushan, a festival of Shwetambar Jains) and September 27 (for Anant Chaturdashi, celebrated by Digambars).

The letter on this was sent to the heads of all civic bodies – municipal corporations, councils and municipalities – as well as district collectors. Though the directorate also prohibited the sale of liquor during that period, it later rescinded the order because it did not have the “jurisdiction” to do so.

Local bodies director Purushottam Biyani told Hindustan Times that this was because liquor shops fell under the jurisdiction of the excise department.

“As civic bodies are the licensing authority for slaughter houses, we issue an order for their closure during the Jain festival every year. The bit on liquor prohibition crept in by mistake,” he said, before issuing a revised order that made no mention of the alcohol ban.

Hindustan Times is in possession of both the orders.

The copy of the REVISED order from the directorate local bodies.

According to Milap Chand Dandia, president of Jain Sanskriti Raksha Samiti, it was the BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje which extended the ban to nine days in August 2008 – four days each for Shwetambars and Digambars and one common day.

However, the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government, which came to power in December 2008, reduced the ban to four days. Now, it is in effect only for three days.

Even the Supreme Court – in its order dated March 14, 2008 – ruled that closing meat shops during the Jain festival of fasting does not affect the overall sale of meat, Dandia added.

Earlier this week, the BJP-ruled muncipal corporation of Mumbai (BMC) announced suspension of sale of meat -- mutton and chicken -- for four days in deference to the sentiments of the Jain community members, who during 'Paryushan' even shun all root vegetables.

The move was severely criticised by the BJP's ally Shiv Sena as well as the opposition Congress and NCP as similar bans have been in force every year since 1964.