The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued a circular banning the sale of meat on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, which falls on August 31.
The circular reads, “August 31st is being celebrated as Ganesh Chaturthi across the Karnataka state. On that day, animal slaughtering and sale of meat is strictly banned in the areas that fall under the limits of BBMP in Bengaluru.”
“According to the Joint Director (Animal Husbandry), those stalls that fall under the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike will be prohibited from selling meat or slaughtering them,” the order, which is in Kannada, says.
However, online meat delivery stores and shops selling packaged meat will be unaffected by the ban and will operate business as usual, since the ruling didn’t specifically mention packaged meat or online outlets.
The practice of banning meat during Hindu and Jain festivals by the government has often led to debates and criticism, saying it violates India’s pluralism.