Mumbai: The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has announced the closure of all slaughterhouses in its municipal limits for 24 hours, from midnight of August 14 to midnight of August 15, on the occasion of Independence Day. The directive covers slaughterhouses dealing with goats, sheep, chickens, and large animals.
The move is based on an administrative resolution dated December 19, 1988, and has been approved by Kanchan Gaikwad, Deputy Commissioner of KDMC’s Market and Licensing Department. Notices have been sent to all operators, instructing them to keep their establishments shut during the period.
Awhad Questions Decision and Slams Officials
The decision has sparked political controversy, with Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) MLA Jitendra Awhad strongly objecting to the move.
“Meat sale will be banned in Kalyan-Dombivli. Is it his father’s state? Has there ever been any law banning what people should eat and sell? What kind of spectacle is this? The DNA of the Bahujan community is non-vegetarian. Human teeth structure proves this. On the day the country got independence, you are taking away our freedom,” Awhad said.
Allegations of Targeting Bahujan Community
Awhad accused KDMC of discriminating against the Bahujan Samaj, alleging that the ban was divisive. “It has become OBC vs Maratha, Hindu vs Muslim, Marathi vs Hindi. Now start vegetarian vs non-vegetarian,” he remarked.
He also directly criticised Deputy Commissioner Kanchan Gaikwad, asking, “Who is this Gaikwad lady who is issuing orders? Who has given her authority? Has the government given orders to eat Shrikhand Puri in Kalyan-Mumbai?”
Political Row Likely to Escalate
With Awhad’s remarks adding a communal and caste angle to the controversy, the ban order is expected to trigger further political sparring. KDMC has not yet responded to Awhad’s allegations
