A notice from the Rampurhat municipality in West Bengal’s Birbhum district has sparked a political row after meat shops were told to stop sales during Chhath Puja. The order states that meat shops shall remain closed on November 15 and 16, with shops allowed to reopen after 10 am on both days under certain conditions. The notice, issued by municipal chairman Soumen Bhakat, also asked meat sellers to cover raw meat with red cloth while doing business on ordinary days, reported NDTV. Opposition leaders have criticised the move, questioning why meat sales need to be restricted during a religious festival.
Why Has Rampurhat Municipality Issued The Notice?
Bhakat has defended the directive, saying it followed complaints about two meat shops near a court complex. According to him, the shops were allegedly slaughtering animals and selling meat in the open on a road that students often use.
He said the shopkeepers had earlier been asked to put up tinted screens or red cloth to cover their shops, but those instructions were ignored. The issue was then taken up at an administrative meeting that included officials, police representatives and elected members. The temporary closure was decided after that discussion.
The chairman has insisted that the step was not aimed at any particular community. It was meant to respect the religious sentiments linked to Chhath Puja, he said.
Trinamool Leader Questions Timing of the Decision
The notice has drawn strong objections from political opponents. They argue that stopping meat sales during Chhath raises questions about Bengal’s food traditions and cultural identity. They pointed out that fish and meat are widely eaten across the state on various religious and cultural occasions.
Trinamool Congress leader Milton Rashid also expressed surprise at the decision. He said people from Bihar in his neighbourhood had celebrated Chhath Puja for years without any trouble.
"Suddenly, I saw yesterday that a notice from the municipality was given to three or four meat shops to keep them closed on the days of Chhath Puja. My point is, the chairman of the municipality has celebrated Chhath Puja for as long as he has been chairman, and before becoming chairman, celebrated Chhath Puja with his entire family... Suddenly, after the change of government, this letter to the meat shops for Chhath Puja surprised us very much. Who will eat what, who will go where, everyone knows that in their own way," Rashid said.
Rashid questioned why the municipality had suddenly issued such an order, especially when its own chairman had been celebrating the festival for years. He argued that people’s food choices and religious practices should not be controlled through restrictions like this.
The matter has since turned into a political war of words. Critics keep asking whether the temporary closure was really needed, while the municipal chairman maintains that the decision was based on local conditions and administrative concerns.