Mumbai: Imposed vegetarianism around Hindu festivals has gradually become a norm across various states in India. The latest is the Pandharpur Wari, an annual pilgrimage undertaken in Maharashtra for over 700 years and deeply rooted in the Bhakti movement, which has also come under the grip of the BJP-led state government.
Jaykumar Gore, Maharashtra’s minister of rural development and Panchayat Raj and a BJP leader, has directed the Solapur district administration, which includes Pandharpur town, to completely ban the sale of any kind of meat for 10 days – from seven days before Ashadi Ekadashi to three days after the culmination of the pilgrims’ foot journey to the Pandharpur temple.
Gore, speaking to the media, claimed that the decision was taken following demands from the pilgrims visiting the Pandharpur temple, situated on the banks of Chandrabhaga River.
“Several warkaris (pilgrims) have expressed their wish to the chief minister (Devendra Fadnavis) to have a ban on meat sales during this period. So, the collector was finally directed to take the decision,” Gore said.
A complete ban on liquor sales has also been announced in the district during this period. Similar decisions have been implemented in other areas through which the pilgrims are scheduled to travel in the coming days.
This story was originally published in thewire.in. Read the full story here.
