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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Aditya Nath Yogi during an inspection of Gomti Riverfront in Lucknow. Image Credit: PTI

New Delhi: With meat sellers across Uttar Pradesh calling a strike in protest against state government’s crackdown on illegal slaughterhouses, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday spelt out the policy.

“The government will not touch the abattoirs which are operating as per the provisions of law and have a valid licence. But those that are violating the orders of the National Green Tribunal and playing with the health of the public would not be spared,” he clarified.

Adityanath’s comments came amid complaints by meat sellers that they were being harassed by police despite running legal businesses. They have also said that the government’s ban took them by surprise and they should have been warned.

Further clarifying the orders received from the CM’s secretariat regarding illegal slaughterhouses in the state, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rahul Srivastav told Gulf News that the drive was continuing to check cattle smuggling and illegal slaughterhouses only.