As the Centre on Monday rushed to clarify that the ban on slaughter houses in Uttar Pradesh is only restricted to “illegal” units, meat sellers and exporters downed shutters against “vigilantism and strong-arm tactics” and struck work across the State and demanded fair-play and a reasonable action plan.

In the Lok Sabha, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserted, in response to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi’s query about shutting down of buffalo meat processing units in UP, that the ban is only on illegal slaughter houses.

Owaisi was referring to a fall of 8.87 per cent in buffalo meat exports in the last fiscal and mentioned the prevailing situation in UP, where over 30 licensed abattoirs-cum-meat processing units operate. “Nearly half of these export units are in UP and many are being closed. Is the Minister concerned about that…The atmosphere right now in Uttar Pradesh is that many buffalo meat processing units are being closed,” he said during question hour in the Lok Sabha.

Sitharaman was emphatic that only “illegal units” were being shut.

“Let me tell the honourable member that what has been done in Uttar Pradesh is about the illegal slaughter houses. I am sure even the honourable member would not want illegal export of anything. Be it meat or be it anything else, we do not want anything happening illegally. The Chief Minister himself has stated it very clearly. He is talking about illegal slaughter houses being shut,” she said.

Further clarification came from UP Health Minister Siddhartha Nath Singh, who maintained that the administration is acting only against illegal abattoirs.

Talking to BusinessLine from Lucknow, he said: “No orders have been issued to take any action against any shop selling chicken, fish or eggs. They need not fear. The ban is only restricted to illegal slaughter-houses.”

To a question about the level of alacrity among certain officials who have used different rules to harass even licensed meat processing unit owners, Singh said: “We have warned against over-enthusiasm. We do not want any vigilantism and strong-arm tactics. But the law would have to be followed.”

However, meat sellers and exporters across the State maintained that norms are being cited only as an excuse to shut down the businesses.

Talking to BusinessLine, the president of Rashtriya Pashudhan Vikas Sangathan (National Livestock Development Organisation), Mohd Nasir Khan, said there are loopholes in any industry and the government should not start with a ban.

“There are 37 licensed slaughter houses and then there are small players, shopkeepers who operate just like the vegetable vendors and retailers in any business in India. Can the government put vegetable vendors out of business because they are not licensed?

“We are all for streamlining and legalising the business but do not act with malicious intentions. What the government is doing is not about legalising the meat business. It is about targeting a community and killing our livelihood,” he added.