Banning Meat During Festivals Is Majority Community Deciding Menu For Everyone

While food may or may not be the road to a man’s heart, it most certainly leads the way to capitalise on a vote bank and impose diktats on others policing their food habits. As witnessed in Bengaluru, more frequently in recent years, it is the majority community that decides the menu for the day.

Bengaluru’s civic body the Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Monday announced a ban on the sale of meat and animal slaughter in the city, on the occassion of Ganesh Chathurti. A circular was issued by the Animal Husbandry Department citing that the ban will be applicable at all places that fall under its (BBMP’s) jurisdiction. “As per the above-mentioned subject, on 31 August 2022, Wednesday on account of Ganesha Chaturthi, all slaughterhouses that come under the jurisdiction of BBMP are completely prohibited from slaughtering animals and selling meat to shops,” it read. Earlier this month, a similar ban was issued to respect the Janmashtami celebrations that fell on August 17.

Contrary to the belief that most modern Bengaluru citizens are vegetarians, Bengaluru consumes the majority of the meat produced in the state. According to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, about 30% of the meat produced in the state is sold in Bengaluru. Considering that all religious minorities combined makeup only 20% of the city’s population, it is hardly possible that 78% of the majority has completely renounced meat consumption.

When the state chose to ban the sale of meat in April this year on the occasion of Ram Navami, some shops reported losses of up to ₹25,000. The day being a Sunday that fell in the coinciding month of Ramadan, held promises of great sales and profits which were shattered in the face of the ban. “As it is the month of Ramzan, we usually get a lot of business on Sundays. While small stalls might have lost out on Rs 10,000-15,000 of business, medium and bigger stalls lost business worth about Rs 20,000-25,000,” a trader from Tannery Road told Deccan Herald. 

An open letter by a group of doctors, nutritionists, parents, advocates, researchers and activists raising concerns about irrational attacks on food habits and nutrition rights of citizens in the form of laws, bans and calls to boycott the sale and consumption of meat was written to the Health Ministry, Women and Child Welfare Department. 

“Meat bans take a toll on vulnerable communities but this seems to be of no consequence to the elected representatives who have convinced themselves that they cater to a narrow religious or caste group. We need to ensure that availability of meat is ensured as it is a rich source of protein for the development and growth of children,” stated Dr Sylvia Karpagam, noted medical practitioner, public health expert and signatory of the letter.

In a similar move, other cities such as Ghaziabad and Delhi had banned the sale of meat for the period of Navratri, from April 2 to April 10, with little to no regard for those whose livelihoods are solely dependent on the little that they make from day to day sales. In another incident, Kaveri Hostel of Jawaharlal Nehru University witnessed violence that erupted allegedly over the serving of chicken for dinner on the occasion of Ram Navami. 

While Muslims observe the month of Ramadan, abstaining from all food and drink (without calling for a boycott of all eateries and delicacies for the entire month) and Hindus fast on Ganesh Chaturthi abstaining from all meat and alcohol, can the olfactory sensitivities of one practising group be valued over the daily wages of poor hard-working men in an already caving economy? Or for that matter is one’s food preference a good enough reason to stir trouble in the plate of another? 

With derelict state infrastructure in Karnataka collapsing under the great floods wreaking havoc in the state and in need of desperate attention, the reigning government seems to be looking elsewhere as they take on other ‘meaty’ priorities ranging from what the leader of the opposition, Siddaramaiah eats before he heads to worship, to what a visarjan might find objectionable as they head out to fulfil a religious obligation.

On Monday, Janata Dal (Secular) spokesperson Tanveer Ahmed said that while the meat ban would not harm citizens in any manner, the state government should get its priorities right. He described the decision as a “political stunt”. “In Karnataka, 80% of us are meat eaters,” Ahmed told Times Now. “If the government has taken this decision it is okay…but it should also start contributing significantly for the development of Karnataka, the aspirations of youth, the issue of pothole… any move that benefits the society is welcome.” 

It is interesting to observe though that while there is a blanket ban on the sale and consumption of meat, most practising Hindus also refrain from consuming ginger, garlic and alcohol on these occasions, which is freely available in the market. Are we to expect a ban on the sale and consumption of ginger, garlic and alcohol too to mark auspicious days in Bengaluru in the coming days? Or does alcohol generate revenue that is a little too pricey to risk a ban on it?