The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) has ordered meat shops to close down in the city every Tuesday, after some councillors put forth suggestions to this effect citing “respecting Hindu sentiments”.
The MCG also approved proposals to increase the license fee for meat shops from the current Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000, and hike the penalty on unauthorised butchers from the existing Rs 500 to Rs 5,000.
The decision to close meat shops were taken despite Despite MCG Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh pointing out that “one cannot impose views on when to eat non-vegetarian food, as it is an individual choice”. “In my opinion, this is an individual choice. I eat, my wife doesn’t eat, it is independent. I cannot force her and she cannot force me… When we cannot decide on this at home itself, the House should think before making any decision regarding the entire city,” The Times of India quoted him as saying.
During the MCG House meeting, some of the councillors demanded that the license fee be set as high as Rs 50,000. However, the MCG Commissioner said that instead of increasing it to an extent “that everything closes”, the fine should be increased from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000, The Indian Express reported.
MCG has also decided to close down unauthorised meat shops operating in residential areas.
