AIMIM leader and former MP Imtiaz Jaleel staged a unique protest on Friday by hosting a “biryani party” at his residence in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The event was aimed at expressing his strong opposition to the city civic body’s decision to close meat shops on certain festival days, including Independence Day and Gokul Ashtami. The protest came amid growing debate over restrictions on meat sales during religious and national occasions in parts of Maharashtra.
The controversy began earlier in the week when the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation issued an order mandating the closure of slaughterhouses, meat outlets, and other establishments selling meat on August 15 and August 20. The civic body explained that the measure was linked to Gokul Ashtami, a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, and Paryushan Parva, a key festival of the Jain community marked by fasting, prayer, and abstaining from animal products. While Gokul Ashtami was celebrated this year on August 15, Paryushan Parva was scheduled to begin on August 20.
Jaleel criticised the decision, calling it an unnecessary interference in people’s personal food choices. Speaking to reporters, he said he had prepared chicken biryani along with vegetarian dishes for the gathering. He quipped that if the municipal commissioner wished to attend and preferred vegetarian food, he would gladly serve it, but maintained that it was not the role of the government or civic authorities to dictate people’s diets. “Such things should be stopped. The government should not tell us what to eat and what not to eat,” he asserted.
The AIMIM leader’s criticism extended to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, questioning why he had not directed the municipal commissioner to revoke the order. According to Jaleel, a single instruction from the state leadership could have resolved the matter. He argued that the government’s stance appeared contradictory, pointing out that officials were saying meat consumption was allowed but simultaneously ensuring its unavailability in markets.
When asked about the justification that the restriction was tied to Gokul Ashtami celebrations, Jaleel responded with a counter-question: “Is this festival being celebrated only in certain districts? Hindus across the state are observing it. If the state had a uniform policy, we would have respected it.” He also accused certain municipal commissioners of taking overzealous steps to please the state government, adding that such selective bans raised concerns about fairness. Muslims have only two festivals — Ramzan and Bakri Eid. Will the government shut liquor shops on these two days?” he asked pointedly.
The meat ban orders were not limited to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, as similar directives were issued by municipal corporations in Nagpur, Nashik, and Malegaon. This wider implementation sparked political controversy, with opposition parties criticising the move as an infringement on personal freedoms. The BJP, however, defended the policy by noting that the practice of closing abattoirs on Independence Day dates back to 1988, when Sharad Pawar — now president of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) — was chief minister. BJP leaders questioned whether opposition critics would also hold Pawar accountable for the same decision.
Responding to the mounting debate, Fadnavis clarified on Wednesday that the state government had no interest in regulating individual food preferences and dismissed the controversy as unnecessary. He suggested that the issue was being exaggerated for political purposes rather than out of genuine concern for public welfare or festival traditions.
