Cannot Take Away The Right To Eat Non-Vegetarian Food: Court to Uttar Pradesh Government

LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court on Friday said the government cannot take away the right of people to eat non-vegetarian food and asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state to find a solution to the slaughterhouse issue before July 17. The court was hearing a petition against the closure of slaughterhouses in the state after the Yogi Adityanath government ascended to power in the state on March 19. The high court also directed the departments concerned of the state government to renew the licences of slaughterhouses and also issue licences based on the prescribed guidelines. The court also observed that the responsibility of constructing slaughterhouses was of the local municipal corporations. The court has also asked all departments relevant to the issue to come before it with information on the matter on July 17. There has been a lot of furore ever since the state government ordered a crackdown on slaughterhouses. In its state assembly election manifesto, the BJP had promised to close all illegal slaughterhouses in the state. However, when the crackdown began, the authorities began targeting anybody and everybody selling meat. Many small-time vendors of mutton and chicken were forced to close down, following which non vegetarian food lovers have been facing a lot of inconvenience.