Varanasi Enforces First-Ever Meat Shop Closures for Navratri as Delhi and Bhopal Consider Similar Measures

The closures, coinciding with Eid, highlight tensions between religious observance, governance, and constitutional freedoms in India.

The Varanasi Municipal Corporation has mandated the closure of all meat, fish, and poultry shops within city limits for the nine days of Chaitra Navratri, starting March 30, with enforcement measures including fines and FIRs.
Delhi's PWD Minister Parvesh Verma announced a crackdown on illegal meat shops ahead of Navratri, following demands from BJP leaders for broader closures across the city.
In Bhopal, the Bharat Raksha Manch, supported by BJP leaders, has called for voluntary closures of meat shops during Navratri, though no official directive has been issued yet.
The overlap of Navratri with Eid this year has drawn criticism, with concerns about the disproportionate impact on Muslim meat sellers and broader implications for interfaith dynamics.
Critics argue these measures reflect unconstitutional and classist policies that target marginalized communities, while proponents frame them as respecting Hindu religious sentiments.