The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has ordered a 24-hour ban on the sale of meat on Independence Day. The order applies to slaughterhouses and licensed butcher shops selling goat, sheep, chicken, and large animal meat. It will be enforced from midnight of August 14 to midnight of August 15.
KDMC warned that anyone violating the rule by slaughtering animals or selling meat will face action under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act, 1949. Officials stated that the practice has been in place since 1988 as part of a civic resolution aimed at maintaining order during national celebrations.
NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad Announces Mutton Party
Reacting to the KDMC order, NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad announced he would host a mutton party on August 15. He said the move was to highlight the “freedom” of people to choose their own food. “On the day we got freedom, you are taking away our freedom to eat what we want,” Awhad said. Earlier, on social media platform X, he posted, “This is too much. Who are you to decide what people will eat and when?” Awhad represents the Kalwa-Mumbai assembly constituency in Thane district and has strongly opposed the KDMC’s decision.
Shiv Sena and NCP Leaders Oppose Ban
Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray criticised the KDMC commissioner, demanding suspension for “dictating the food choices of people.” He asked, “Who is the commissioner to tell people whether they can eat non-veg or not?” Bhiwandi MP and NCP leader Suresh Mhatre also opposed the ban. He called it an infringement on traditional food habits, saying, “What one should eat and what one shouldn’t is a question of the people. The local fishermen community eats vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. The ban on the sale of meat is incomprehensible.” He stressed that food preferences are shaped by regional customs and traditions.
Cultural Concerns Over Dietary Restrictions
Mhatre said dietary habits in coastal communities, such as the Agri Koli, are tied to cultural identity. He urged civic authorities to respect traditions that include both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. He stated that the ban undermines long-held cultural practices in different parts of Maharashtra. While opposition leaders condemned the order, KDMC Deputy Commissioner Kanchan Gaikwad defended it. Gaikwad said the notice is in line with decades-old resolutions followed since 1988.
She added that the move aims to maintain public order during important national occasions like Independence Day, where similar restrictions have been enforced in the past.
Support for the KDMC’s Decision
Kalyan MLA and Shiv Sena leader Vishwanath Bhoir supported the KDMC order. He said, “People are not opposing the notice. What’s the issue if one doesn’t eat meat one day? The Opposition only knows how to criticise.” Bhoir argued that the decision does not harm public sentiment and is a reasonable step for one day. The KDMC maintained that such measures have been part of civic tradition for more than three decades.
The Independence Day ban remains in place for 2025, with authorities warning of legal action against violators under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act.
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