Five more BJP-ruled states crack down on illegal meat shops

After Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government banned illegal sale of meat in Uttar Pradesh, five more BJP-ruled states-Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh- have followed in its footsteps.

11 meat shops have been shut in Raipur, capital of  Chhattisgarh. One shop has been closed in Indore, according to a report in The Times of India. In Jaipur, around 4,000 illegal shops face closure as the civic corporation announced its crackdown on such shops and slaughterhouses from April.

The corporation did not renew their licences of 950 authorised shops after 31 March last year, meat sellers claim.

Meanwhile, to protest CM Yogi Adityanath's crackdown on illegal slaughterhouses, meat sellers in some parts of Uttar Pradesh are on an indefinite strike from Monday.

However, since the beginning CM Yogi made it clear that only the illegal slaughterhouses will be targeted but meat sellers complaint they are being raided by the police despite having licences.

Another reason for shutting down is that meat shops are also in short of supply due to the latest order. Fish traders in the state had also extended their support to the meat sellers' strike.

Soon after taking over as UP Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath directed police officials to prepare an action plan for closure of all slaughter houses in the state. He also ordered a blanket ban on smuggling of cows.

Yogi Adityanath's decision was in line with the BJP's vision document 'Sankalp Patra' released ahead of the Assembly elections. In its document, the Party had promised a complete shutdown of illegal slaughter houses in UP. It is India's largest meat processing state.