Four-Day Meat Strike In UP Might End After Meat-Sellers' Representatives Meet CM

After the representatives of the agitating meat-sellers and exporters met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday, the fourth day of their indefinite strike against the crackdown on abattoirs, a section of traders might today decide to call off their strike.

State Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh said on Thursday chief minister Adityanath assured the delegation that action would be taken if any officer acted against a legal and licensed slaughterhouse. He said a firm assurance was given by the chief minister to the delegation that no adverse action will be taken by "overenthusiastic" officials while raiding the illegal abattoirs.

"A way to move forward has been found and the intention of the government and the delegation is the same that no illegal action is carried out in Uttar Pradesh," Singh said, claiming that both the sides were "happy" over the outcome of the meeting.

The All India Meat Association has backed the government's move,  and hailed the Chief Minister for following his "raj dharma".

"Meat traders were subjected to injustice by the BSP and SP governments," Haji Shakeel Qureshi, the representative of All India Meat Association and All India Meat and Livestock Exporters' Association  was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India.

However, the mutton traders' association was not very forthcoming on whether the strike would be called off in view of the chief minister's assurance.

"The strike called by the mutton-sellers will continue at least till the end of Navaratra (April 5). It may be extended further if our demands are not met," Mubeen Qureshi, an officebearer of the Lucknow Bakra Gosht Vyapar Mandal, told reporters after the meeting with the chief minister.

Singh said the government has to pay attention to the constitutionality of any of its actions and the chief minister has assured the meat-sellers that nothing was being done in a prejudiced manner and there was no directive to any official to act on caste or religious lines.

The effects of the statewide strike have not been felt much in view of 'Navaratra', during which Hindus in north India generally abstain from consuming non-vegetarian food.

Shops selling fish, eggs and chicken were open in the state capital but there were not many buyers.

With PTI Inputs