Meat market union decides to shut shop during Navratras

Amidst the uproar over closure of meat shops, the meat market union of Gurugram has decided to keep their shutters down during the ongoing Navratras. They also stated that all shops will remain closed on Tuesdays.

The announcement by the union came after more than 300 meat shops in Gurugram were forced to shut down by Shiv Sena on Tuesday.

"We will incur some losses but this decision was taken to respect the religious sentiments and maintain compassionate brotherhood," stated the union.

In addition to meat shops, a KFC outlet located in Sector-14 market too closed its shutters.

When Millennium Post approached the KFC staff, they refused to comment.

Some meat shop owners, meanwhile, lashed out at fringe religious outfits stating that it was more of a blackmailing technique that has been adopted by these outfits to threaten honest shop owners.

"We have a relation of amity for more than 50 years and therefore in order to maintain peace and brotherhood we have decided to close down our shops during Navratras. We have also decided to not open our shops during Tuesdays.

"Normally, in the past, there were certain shops that used to close down during Navratras but this time we are taking this decision together," said a meat shop owner Noor Mohammad.

Lashing out at the diktat of Shiv Sena, Mohammad said: "It is only now that some of these groups are finding their voice but the relation between the two communities in the city is strong enough to not get affected by it."

Reacting to the recent incident of Shiv Sena closing down more than 300 shops in the city, Mohammad Akram, another shop owner in the city, said: "While we keep getting threats from various radical outfits to close shops during certain religious occasions, this is the first time where there was a fear among the traders."

"Normally, the business does slow down during Navratras, so it is fine if we close down our shops during this time. However, closing down meat shops on Tuesdays may harm the interests of many," Akram added.

Meanwhile, even though warnings were issued by Shiv Sena, there was no official complaint lodged against the organisation.

Reacting to the incident, spokesperson for Gurugram Police ACP Manish Sehegal stated: "Any complaint against people who indulge in unlawful acts will be dealt accordingly by the police."