In commemoration of the birth anniversary of Sadhu Thanwardas Lilaram Vaswani, the Uttar Pradesh government has declared a ‘no non-veg day’ on Saturday, November 25, 2023.
The government has issued a circular directing the closure of all slaughterhouses and meat shops across the state on this occasion. The circular emphasized the significance of respecting the sentiments associated with great festivals like Jayanti, Gandhi Jayanti, Sadhu T.L. Vaswani’s birthday, and Shivratri.
A statement from the Uttar Pradesh government stated, “Instructions have been issued from time to time to keep the slaughterhouses and meat shops located in all the local bodies of the state closed on the great festivals of Jayanti, Gandhi Jayanti, Sadhu TL Vaswani, and Shivratri. Likewise, the decision to declare November 25, 2023, the birthday of Sadhu T.L. Vaswani, as a meat-free day and to keep the slaughterhouses and meat shops located in all the urban local bodies of the state closed, has been taken.”
The government has urged strict compliance with these orders across all urban local bodies.
This announcement comes amidst a broader controversy surrounding the prohibition of halal products in the state. Recently, the Yogi Adityanath-led government took a decisive step against the illegal issuance of ‘Halal Certificates,’ forbidding the production, storage, distribution, and sale of food products with halal certification.
Reacting to the halal certification ban, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the move, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of creating divisions between communities.
He stated, “The BJP is always doing such activities of spreading hate and creating differences. The basic questions are unemployment and price rises. They are discussing another topic. This is their strategy to create a rift between communities. The people understand that all of this is happening under a conspiracy.”
In response, BJP leader Giriraj Singh expressed gratitude to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the investigation on ‘Halal Products.’
The BJP’s move has stirred controversy, with opposition leaders questioning the priorities of the government amidst larger economic and social challenges.
