Take action for closure of meat shops during Navratri: SDMC mayor to commissioner
New Delhi, Apr 4: South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Mukesh Suryan on Monday wrote a letter to the commissioner of the civic body asking him to take necessary action for closure of meat shops under its jurisdiction during the nine-day festival of Navratri.
This is the first time when the civic body has asked for closure of meat shops during Navratri which is being observed from April 2-11.
An official order in this connection is yet to be issued.
In the letter to SDMC Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, Suryan said "religious beliefs and sentiments of devotees are affected" when they come across meat shops or have to bear the foul smell of meat on their way to offer daily prayers to goddess Durga during Navratri.
He said during the period of Navratri, devotees of goddess Durga observe fast for nine days with a strict vegetarian diet and abstain from the use of non-vegetarian food items, alcohol and also certain spices.
During these days, people forgo even the use of onion and garlic in their diets and the sight of meat being sold in open or near temples makes them uncomfortable, Suryan said in the letter.
"Keeping in view the sentiments and feelings of the general public, necessary directions may be issued to the officers concerned to take action for the closure of meat shops during the nine-day period of the Navratri festival extending from April 2, 2022 to April 11, 2022," Suryan wrote in the letter.
He also said some meat shops dump waste in gutters or beside the road, which the stray dogs feed on and is not only unhygienic but also an appalling sight for passerby.
"Such events can be restricted if the meat shops are closed down during the period of Navratri festival in the area under the jurisdiction of SDMC and the closing of meat shops near temples is also necessary to maintain the cleanliness in and around temples," Suryan wrote.
Later, Suryan told PTI that an official order regarding closure of meat shops will be issued soon and such shops "will not be allowed to open from Tuesday".
There are around 1,500 registered meat shops in the jurisdiction of the SDMC.
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Allahabad HC asks CBI, ED to inquire disproportionate assets allegation against Rahul Gandhi
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate to conduct an inquiry into the allegations of amassing of disproportionate assets by Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
The court has asked the agencies to submit the progress of the inquiry on July 20.
A division bench of Justices Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Zafeer Ahmad passed the order while hearing a criminal writ petition moved by a Karnataka BJP worker, S Vignesh Shishir.
The petitioner has alleged accumulation of disproportionate assets by Gandhi and sought direction of an inquiry into the matter.
The bench conducted an in-chamber hearing in the case on May 12.
In its order published on the high court's website on Thursday, the bench observed, "It is expected that if the complaint of the petitioner has been received, the allegations may be verified as per law. It is needless to say that the CBI or ED may take appropriate steps permissible under the law."
Besides the CBI and ED, the bench has also directed the Central government's Department of Personnel and Training, the Department of Revenue, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and the Director of Serious Fraud Investigation Office to file their responses on the allegations levelled by the petition within eight weeks.
According to the order, the CBI and the ED have informed the bench that they have received the petitioner's complaint and would file a response before the court.
To a query on whether the petition was maintainable, the bench said that this submission would be tested after receiving the counter-affidavits of the respective parties and the rejoinder affidavits thereof.
The court also ordered its senior registrar to keep the paper-book and the loose documents provided by the petitioner in a sealed cover to be opened on the next hearing.
