Palitana (Gujarat), April 21, 2012: The BJP-ruled Palitana municipality in Bhavnagar has decided to follow the footsteps of Haridwar.
The municipality authorities have decided to ban the sale of eggs and non-vegetarian food in the pilgrim town.
During a meeting on Friday, the municipality passed a notification banning sale of non-veg food and eggs within the limits of the town.
The ban was imposed following protests by Jain saints who threatened to self-immolate if the municipality did not adopt the resolution on the lines of Haridwar.
Pravinbhai Gadhvi, president of nagar palika said that the ban was already there but this was only in the peripheries of the road leading to the Jain temples.
It was in March that some Jain saints led by Maharaj Saheb Maitriprabhsagar had sat on a fast and later threatened to self-immolate themselves if the nagar palika did not ban the sale of non-veg food and eggs within the jurisdiction of the nagar palika.
“When we met the Jain saints they requested us to enforce the ban in the area which is in the jurisdiction of the nagar palika. The same was then cleared in the meeting on Friday.”
He said since the opposition Congress was against the decision, the nagar palika will have to gather public opinion.
“Palitana is an important pilgrim place for the Jain community. Jain monks were of the opinion that if Haridwar can have a law preventing sale of non-veg food and eggs, this pilgrim town can also follow suit. When saints threatened of self-immolation, the district administration and nagar palika assured to pass such a resolution.”
J L Dave, chief officer of the nagar palika, said, “Since this was a policy decision, we will have to take objections of the public at large into consideration. Once that is done, the implementation will be done and the same will be sent to the government for final approval. The nagar palika will invite objections which have to be submitted within 30 days and which started on Friday.” – News Courtesy: Times of India