Citizens say that Sena and MNS could have protested peacefully over the meat ban issue instead of adopting an aggressive stand over it.
Mumbaikars condemned the manner in which Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena protested against the meat ban directive issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on the occasion of ‘Paryushan Parva’. Sena and MNS had set up stalls to sell chicken in Dadar. According to citizens the Sena and MNS could have protested peacefully instead of adopting an aggressive stand over this issue. The MNS which had lost its foothold in the state after the assembly election is trying to rake up this issue to lure the Marathi vote bank before the 2017 BMC election. Both Sena and MNS already had gained moral victory over the meat ban issue after the BMC reduced the ban from four to two days in the metropolis. MNS has been at the forefront of leading agitations against discrimination that non-vegetarian home buyers face in certain pockets of the city.
The MNS had roasted chicken outside a hall in Thane where Jains had assembled for an event. MNS city Vice-President Ravi More, Mahesh Kadam, Raju Bagve, Ashish Doke, women party workers were present during the protest. As per reports, a mob of around 50 people, including both men and women, greeted the members of Jain community coming out of the hall with slogans. The Jains peacefully ignored the protest and walked away from the premises covering their mouths.
Sunil Shah, a Kandivali resident said, “Both Sena and MNS activists have behaved irresponsibly. They are trying to derive political mileage out of this issue.”
Sushil Deshmukh, a Borivali resident said, “It’s a political stunt of Sena and MNS as they are only trying to gain some publicity out of it. Why didn’t Sena oppose this matter during the passage of the resolution by the BMC?”
Rajesh Mehta, a Malad resident said, “This issue has been blown out of proportion by Sena and MNS. They are not concerned about the welfare of the people and instead are raking up this issue to gain an upper hand over the BJP. Sena already has a tendency to criticise every policy of the BJP.”
Tejas Dhakan @tejas_dhakan tweeted,“I don’t support any ban But #MNS just committed a political suicide (as if it had any life left… but phir bhi) Good Riddance BC!”
Chirag Shah @ChiragJ80004526 @Jainniks tweeted, “Ok Jains will remove ban its a matter of time but can it recover the sentiments hurt of Jains by MNS.”
Rekha Ramaswamy @rekharamaswamy tweeted, “This drama by MNS before a Jain temple is the most vulgar display by a cheap political party. I am not Jain but don’t see why this ban is bad.”
Earlier the MNS chief Raj Thackeray had said the Jains cannot decide the policies of the state and vowed his party’s support to those willing to sell meat in the state.
“The Jains will not decide what will happen in Maharashtra. Digamma Jains roam naked showing their body, if that is okay then why is this meat ban issued in the state,” asked Thackeray.
On the other hand, both Sena and MNS denied that the people who had displayed chicken and meat outside a Jain temple in Thane belonged their party.
Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray took to Twitter to clarify that the party had nothing to do with the protest. “I saw a couple of pictures on Twitter of protests outside a Jain derasar. The protestors are being mixed with Sena, but they aren’t Shiv Sena.”
Shiv Sena President, Uddhav Thackeray said, “Paryushan Parva has been observed every year but why has this directive about imposing ban on meat issued this year. We are not against any religion and have not opposed Paryushan Parva.”
