Meat, liquor likely to be banned in Ayodhya district, other holy places

The ban in Mathura districts is in force at pilgrimage spots like Vrindavan, Govardhan, Barsana falling on the Saptkosi Parikrima route.

The Yogi Adityanath government is most likely to prohibit the sale of meat and liquor within the geographical boundaries of the new district of Ayodhya that was known as Faizabad till recently.

Similar bans may be imposed in the area around Lord Krishna’s birthplace in Mathura and other holy places in the state.

State government spokesman and energy minister Shrikant Sharma gave ample indications about this here on Sunday.

“The government is seriously considering putting a total ban on the sale of meat and liquor in the entire Ayodhya district within a legal framework,” he told HT over phone.

At present, a ban on the meat and liquor is confined to just Ayodhya town in the new district.

He said saints from various parts of the state had been demanding a total ban on meat and liquor near various holy places in the state. “For example, the sadhus and sants of Mathura have also demanded prohibiting the sale of meat and liquor in the Sri Krishna Janmasthali area,” he said.

The ban in Mathura districts is in force at pilgrimage spots like Vrindavan, Govardhan, Barsana falling on the Saptkosi Parikrima route.

When asked if the ban would cover the entire Mathura district like the one demanded for Ayodhya or be just around the Lord Krishna’s birthplace, the minister said, “Some geographical demarcations will have to be made for the purpose of the ban.”

He also indicated the government might declare certain sacred places as ‘pilgrimages to pave the way for the ban on meat and liquor around the intended places.

“The best is to declare all such places as pilgrimages,” he said when asked if the government would make any law for banning meat and liquor in Ayodhya, Mathura and other cities or districts.

After Faizabad was renamed as Ayodhya on November 6, many Ayodhya seers, including Satyendra Das, chief priest of the makeshift temple, are now demanding the government declare a total ban on meat and liquor in the entire Ayodhya district to “purify” the district that is associated with the name of Lord Ram.

“At present, the ban is limited to just Ayodhya town but since the Faizabad district has been renamed after Ayodhya, the ban should be extended to the entire length and breadth of the new district,” the seers have argued.

However, the ban on liquor, many people believe, may render hundreds of people jobless. According sources many people engaged in the liquor and meat business in Ayodhya district have already started opposing, tacitly or otherwise, the seers’ demand for the ban.