Ghaziabad Authorities Shut Meat Shops During Navratri. Shopkeepers Upset, Mayor Justifies Move

The affected shopkeepers said this is for the first time that meat shops have been shut down during Navratri in Ghaziabad.

New Delhi: Expressing displeasure over the decision to shut down meat shops in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad city during Chaitra Navratri, the affected shopkeepers on Saturday said their source of income has stopped and added they will incur losses of thousands.

The affected shopkeepers said this is for the first time that meat shops have been shut down during Navratri in Ghaziabad.

“Liquor shops are opened and meat shops are asked to shut. Our source of income has stopped, we will incur losses of thousands,” said the affected shopkeepers, ANI reported.

“We have meat products worth lakhs kept in our shops,” the shopkeepers added.

Meanwhile, Ghaziabad Mayor Asha Sharma justified the decision to shut down meat shops.

“Meat and liquor are different. They can't be equated with each other. It is related to religious sentiments,” said Sharma, the news agency reported.

“It happens every time that during Navratri raw meat can't be sold in vicinity of the temple,” she added.

The Ghaziabad administration’s move comes as Chaitra Navratri, the nine-day-long Hindu festival, began today.

Chaitra, as per the Hindu calendar, is the first month of the year. The festival symbolises the victory of good over evil.

The last day of the festivities is observed as Ram Navami, which celebrates the birth of Lord Rama on earth.

Chaitra Navratri also represents the victory of Goddess Durga over demon Mahishasura.

The devotees fast and worship all the nine forms of Goddess Durga over the nine days of the festival for prosperity and fortune.