New Delhi: As many as 500 meat shops in Gurugram, including a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlet, were forced to shut down on Wednesday by over 250 activists of the right-wing outfit Shiv Sena for the next nine days citing the Hindu festival ‘Navratri’.
The Shiv Sena supporters formed separate groups and shut down meat and chicken shops in old and new Gurugram areas including Palam Vihar, Rajendra Park and Feroze Gandhi Colony. They wanted the shops to remain closed during ‘Navratri’ and, subsequently, on Tuesdays, when they say Hindus are barred from eating meat.
Shiv Sena Gurugram district secretary Rohtas Yadav said the notices to the effect were served on meat sellers. “We handed over notices to shop owners selling meat asking them not to open their shops on Tuesdays and during Navratri. All of them readily agreed to pull down the shutters. Even KFC, a fast-food chain, in Sector 14, was shut down. We won’t allow these shops to stay open during Navratri. Now these can open only under police protection,” he told media.
Shiv Sena Gurugram media co-ordinator Ritu Raj said it was a matter of faith for Hindus.
“A number of Hindus keep fast on Navratri and on Tuesday of every week. It does not feel good to see meat being sold and served on these days. Most of the shopkeepers have supported the move and we consulted those who resisted,” Raj told Gulf News.
He said a prior notice to close the shops had been issued to meat shops as well as police. “We had submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of police and the commissioner of police in this connection and also served notices to shop owners two days ago. Most of these shops in Gurugram are being run illegally and so shutting them down is not wrong,” he added.
However, Manish Sehgal, Gurugram’s additional commissioner of police, said some meats shops were forcibly closed by Shiv Sena activists but later re-opened.
“Several meat sellers were forced to bring down shutters but they have all opened now. We have not received any complaint so far. If we get a formal complaint, we will take action as per law. No coercion will be allowed in the city. Our teams are on the ground monitoring the situation. These shops have commercial licence to sell meat. Strict action will be taken against those forcing closure of shops illegally,” Sehgal told Gulf News.
Some meat sellers in Gurugram said they did not see a problem with the Shiv Sena’s demand.
“The action taken by Shiv Sena is wrong but we do not have any objection to keep the shops closed to respect religious sentiments of Hindus,” Mohammad Arif Ahmad, a meat shop owner in Sadar Bazar, told Gulf News.
Some other meat sellers are, however, planning to approach the chief minister in this regard.
Meanwhile, a KFC spokesperson said, “as a responsible corporate citizen, KFC operates in compliance with the laws of the land. We have not received any notification from the authorities on limiting operations during the Navratras or Tuesdays. We would like to reiterate that KFC has the highest respect for the cultural and religious beliefs of all communities and believe that consumers are free to make choices and decisions.”
