MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday strongly criticised the decision, stating that the choice of what to eat should rest with the people, not the government. “How can you impose such a ban on Independence Day? No government should dictate what people should or should not eat. On a day meant to celebrate freedom, you are taking away people’s freedom,” Thackeray said.
He argued that municipal bodies have no authority to decide on such matters. “We celebrate Independence Day and yet deny the freedom to eat — that’s a contradiction. Independence and republic mean the power of the people. No matter what religion or festival it is, the government has no right to tell anyone what to eat,” he asserted.
Thackeray also questioned the legal basis for the ban, referring to a law reportedly introduced in 1988. “Whether the law is from 1988 or brought in now, any government should think twice before making such decisions. On Independence Day, we are snatching away people’s freedom — so what kind of Independence Day is this?” he asked.
Several municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Kalyan–Dombivli, Malegaon, Nagpur, and Amravati, have ordered the closure of slaughterhouses and meat shops on August 15 to mark Independence Day. While Hindu nationalist organisations have welcomed the move, members of the Khatik (butcher)community and non-vegetarian citizens have opposed it, sparking a new controversy in the state.
