Ahmedabad: In a decision typical of Gujarat, two BJP-ruled municipal corporations in Vadodara and Rajkot are bracing for a drive against hawkers selling non-vegetarian food, including eggs, on public streets and footpaths, claiming that it hurt religious sentiments of the Hindus.
They have found support from Rajendra Trivedi, Revenue Minister and Speaker in the outgoing Vijay Rupani Government, who is an MLA from Vadodara.
Vadodara Municipal Corporation’s (VMC) Standing Committee chairman Hitendra Patel on Thursday issued oral directives to the civic body to remove within 15 days all roadside non-veg stalls if they didn’t keep their stuff properly covered.
“The public display of meat, fish, eggs hurts religious sentiments,” Patel confirmed to mediapersons that he indeed gave these instructions.
The VMC’s directive was inspired by a similar instruction by Rajkot Mayor Pradip Dav on November 9 to restrict sale of non-veg food to hawking zones, such that it was not visible from the main road.
Welcoming the decision, State Revenue Minister Rajendra Trivedi claimed at an event in Kutch that, “The vapour and smell emanating from these non-veg stalls is a health hazard for the passers-by.”
Subsequently, Trivedi tampered with his statement by saying that, “Such food stalls, be it vegetarian or non-veg, have no right to operate from footpaths. Footpaths are meant for the people, not these stalls.” The stalls and kiosks must be removed, he added.
The RMC has already launched its drive and removed non-veg food stalls and kiosks in Fulchhab Chowk, Limbda Chowk and Shastri Maidan. When asked, Mayor Pradip Dav told reporters that, “We are essentially removing encroachments from main roads. They cause nuisance, traffic snarls and offend religious sentiments of Hindus.”
