NCP's Jitendra Awhad slams Gujarat govt over non-veg stalls ban in Ahmedabad

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra Minister Jitendra Awhad on Wednesday spoke out against Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's decision to ban the sale of non-vegetarian items on the streets. Taking to Twitter, Awhad claimed that street vendors selling non-vegetarian food on the streets in Ahmedabad 'have been banned'. Further, Awhad also hit out at the Gujarat government and spoke about the beef ban. 

He claimed that 80 per cent of population in India eats non-vegetarian food and that the beef ban imposed by the government was just a 'trailer'. Further, he added that a 'film warning' of what will happen next has started in Gujarat. In his remarks, the Maharashtra minister also claimed that the government will also decide what people eat.

"Street vendors selling non-vegetarian food on the streets in Ahmedabad have been banned. In this country where 80% of the population is non-vegetarian, beef ban was the trailer. A film warning of what will happen next has started in Gujarat. The government will also decide what you eat," Jitendra Awhad tweeted 

Gujarat CM clarifies non-veg stalls ban in Ahmedabad

However, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday justified the ban and said that food stalls are not allowed to sell food near public roads in order to avoid traffic blockage. He added that Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's decision has been taken irrespective of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. Moreover, he also clarified that people are free to eat food of their choice. 

"It is not a question of vegetarian and non-vegetarian. People are free to eat whatever they want. But the food being sold at stalls should not be harmful & the stalls should not obstruct traffic flow," said Bhupendra Patel 

Sale of non-veg food at stalls along public roads banned 

On Monday, the Town Planning Committee of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation announced that the stalls selling non-vegetarian food on public roads will be banned. Committee Chairman Devang Dani told ANI that the sale of non-vegetarian food is banned within 100-metre radius of schools, colleges, and religious places. The order was set to be executed from Tuesday.