'No such order issued': UP govt on meat shops being closed on Navratri

Lucknow: Amid reports that meat shops in some Uttar Pradesh districts are being shut down on Navratri, the Yogi Adityanath government on Monday clarified that "no such orders have been issued."

"No such orders have been issued by the government. The districts from where such reports are coming, ask them from where these orders have come," Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Navneet Sehgal was quoted as saying by PTI.

Sehgal was responding to a question about reports from various districts of the state that meat shops are being closed down on the nine-day-long Hindu festival.

In Aligarh, district panchayat chairman Vijay Singh had issued an order on April 2 asking all meat shops in areas falling under the jurisdiction of the zila panchayat to shut down "during the period of the Navratri festival".

There are an estimated 100 meat shops in these areas. However, the order does not apply to the shops in Aligarh city. In a statement issued to the media, Singh warned that those shopkeepers who do not comply with the order will face action and their licenses would be revoked.

On April 2, Ghaziabad Mayor Asha Sharma had said the sale of meat will not be allowed in the open, near temples and in the bylanes where temples are located during Navratri. But later, in an amended order, Sharma said licensed meat shops can operate in compliance with state government orders.

District Magistrate RK Singh, according to PTI, later said that the mayor has amended her order and meat shops in Ghaziabad will remain open as per the guidelines of the government.