'They Cannot Tell Us What To Eat': Aaditya Thackeray Slams KDMC Over Meat Shop Ban On Independence Day

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray has strongly criticised the reported decision by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) to close all slaughterhouses and meat shops on August 15, India's Independence Day. Calling the move an infringement on personal freedoms, Thackeray questioned the rationale behind such restrictions, asserting that food choices are not a matter of religion or national interest.

Aaditya Thackeray mentioned that, "In our house, even on Navratri, our prasad has prawns, fish, because this is our tradition, this is our Hinduism... This is not a matter of religion, and it is not a matter of national interest," as reported by news agency ANI.

Thackeray also demanded strict accountability from municipal authorities, stating:

While interacting with the media, he stated, "The Commissioner of Kalyan-Dombivli should be suspended. I don't know who he is. What we eat on Independence Day is our right, our freedom. They cannot tell us whether to eat veg or non-veg. We will definitely eat non-veg."

He further added that, "We eat it in our house. In our house, even on Navratri, our prasad has prawns, fish, because this is our tradition, this is our Hinduism... This is not a matter of religion, and it is not a matter of national interest."

Meat Sellers, Political Leaders Oppose KDMC’s August 15 Meat Shop Ban

Political leaders and local meat vendors in Kalyan have raised strong objections to the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation’s (KDMC) directive to close all meat shops and slaughterhouses on Independence Day (August 15). The order includes shops selling chicken, mutton, and fish.

Rupesh Manohar Gone, the owner of Kalyan Mutton Shop, said he received a notice from KDMC instructing him to shut his shop on August 15. Challenging the directive, he said, “This is the day our country became independent. KDMC cannot dictate what we eat; it’s a personal choice. People celebrate this day like a festival and prefer to eat what they enjoy, be it chicken or mutton.”

Gone, who belongs to the Khatik Samaj, emphasised that his community relies on the meat trade for their livelihood. “Closure for a full day will cause significant hardship for our families,” he added.