Just in: In the aftermath of the immense flak that the Maharashtra government has faced over the four-day mean ban in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has voted to reduce the number of days to two. This morning, the BJP government asked the BMC to reduce the ban to two days.

A four-day ban on meat in deference of the Jain festival of Paryushan was not an apt formula for a city like Mumbai, the Bombay High Court said yesterday and today questioned why fish and eggs were left out of the ban.

The court said, "How can you stop sale? Will the police and the municipal officers enter houses and say meat can't be eaten?" Thursday was the first of the four days of the ban in the eight-day Paryushan period as decided by the BMC and the state government.

The BMC today voted to reduce the ban from four days to two days.

The court today slammed the government saying, there is "no progressive outlook in Mumbai. How can you take these decisions at the 11th hour? These are regressive steps." 


The mutton traders of Mumbai challenged the four-day ban that started yesterday amid protests not just by opposition parties but also the ruling BJP's ally Shiv Sena. The BJP wanted the ban extended to eight days, but the Sena said it would ensure that meat was openly sold and eaten in the financial capital on the days of the ban.

Meat will now be banned on the 17th. The ban on the other two days -- 13th and 18th -- have been lifted.