In Ghaziabad’s Vasundhara area, members of the Hindu Raksha Dal held a protest outside non-vegetarian restaurants like KFC and Nazir, demanding a ban on meat sales during the Hindu holy month of Sawan. They were angry that meat was being sold near the routes taken by Kanwar Yatra pilgrims, many of whom observe fasts and eat only vegetarian food during this time.
Videos from the protest surfaced online, showing people shouting “Jai Shri Ram” and waving saffron flags. According to eyewitnesses, the protesters forced the KFC outlet to shut down temporarily during the demonstration.
Speaking to reporters, one of the Hindu Raksha Dal members said, “When lakhs of people are worshipping Lord Shiva and following strict vegetarian diets, the sight and smell of meat is deeply upsetting. It hurts the religious feelings of the Kanwariyas.”
They submitted a formal letter to the local administration, demanding that all non-vegetarian shops and restaurants near the Kanwar Yatra routes be closed for the entire month of Sawan. “We are not against anyone’s business,” a protester said, “but during this sacred time, everyone should respect our beliefs.”
So far, there has been no official statement from the Ghaziabad administration or from the restaurants that were targeted. The area remains tense as Sawan celebrations continue and many Kanwar pilgrims pass through.
“If meat shops are not shut near the yatra routes, we will step up our protest,” one of the demonstrators warned.
