Our dearest Twitterati are up in arms (again!) over the 4-day meat ban in Maharashtra. Now mind it, this is not some ‘regular’ issue of national security, or the oft-debated issue of poverty, or the much abused issue of corruption. This is about Food. And on Food, there shall be war- so the Twitterati have declared. Our well read, erudite and above all, qualified Twitterati feel that there is something much more sinister at work, that “Food” is merely the veil, behind which something much more sinister lurks. This meat ban, as also the other “bans” which have been in news for a while, are a proof of BJP’s grand conspiracy to Hindu-ize the coutry and push its Saffron agenda down people’s throats. Through ‘bans’ such as these, the BJP, wants to subvert secularism and undermine democracy. Clearly, our intelligensia, Oops, Twitterati have decided to name and shame the government into rescinding its Hitlerian actions.
Arrey logon, Twitter pe mat jao, Apni akal lagao. Facts mostly run counter to what our Twitterati tweeteth. For instance, the proposed 4-day ban in Mumbai, is not some BJP conspiracy to kill “Secularism” bit by bit, but a mere continuation of a process that started years ago. So, now, lets look at the facts-
1. Meat ban in Mumbai is in view of a Jain religious Festival called Paryushan. The keyword here is “Jain”, not “Hindu”
2. There was a ban on meat in Mumbai, last year too. The keyword here is last year. Hence, this is not some new “Ban”.
3. There is a ban on meat, but not chicken and fish!! Go figure that!
4. The 4 day ban on meat, stems from BMC’s resolutions of 1964 and 1994 and the state government’s resolution in 2004. It is highly unlikely that all these resolutions were passed by BJP governments!!
So much so for a grand conspiracy.
Now coming to the point on whether governments can/should ban consumption of food. Personally, I think the governments have way too much stuff on their hands to get into this. However, that having been said, the governments should be empowered to take any action that is in the interest of public health, law and morality. I think that most people in this nation would be uncomfortable with the sale of beef (This is my belief, you are free to disagree). Hence, in deference to the wishes of most our countrymen, we should regulate beef sale ( Regulate, not Ban). Those who wish to have beef can, for the sake of their neighbours and friends, make a small compromise. And for those who can, can surely relish their beef-dishes when they go on their foreign trips. Similarly, a 4 day meat ban, in deference to Jainism’s central tenet of vegetarianism, should not be seen as an attack on democracy, but only as a form of respect for one of India’s great religious traditions.
I wonder if as many Twitterati (as are Tweeting today) voted in the last BMC elections! The 2012 BMC election, saw a voter turn out of mere 45%, the one in 2007 saw a voter turn out of 46%. It is easy to castigate the government, demoralize government servants, abuse the politicians and curse the system, it is difficult to go and vote on election day, isn’t it? If as a people, we don’t care about reforming the system, why do we yell, scream and shout, when things don’t go the way we want them to? Something to think about!!
Look beyond the conspiracies. Look beyond the Tweets, somewhere there hides the truth!