The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Thane took to streets to protest against the meat ban during the Jain community festival Paryushan.
MNS party workers demonstrated and roasted chicken outside the hall where the Jains had assembled for Paryushan in Vishnu Nagar area in Thane.
MNS city Vice-President Ravi More, Mahesh Kadam, Raju Bagve, Ashish Doke, women party workers were present during the protest.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray had on Thursday said the Jains cannot decide the policies of the state and vowed his party’s support to those willing to sell meat in the state.
The actions of party workers invited strong criticism from some who claimed that it was a 'poor political stunt.'
“The Jains will not decide what will happen in Maharashtra. Digamma Jains roam naked showing their body, if that is okay then why is this meat ban issued in the state,” asked Thackeray.
“The MNS will definitely support whoever wants to sell meat in the state. We won’t follow the meat ban issued by the government,” he told the media at a press conference.
The banning of meat in Mumbai has turned into a political slugfest with various political parties slamming the Maharashtra government for imposing such ban.
The Maharashtra government has banned meat for the last four days of the Jain festival.
A day ago, slamming Jains, the Shiv Sena said the community's stance on practicing "non-violence" comes as a surprise now as they purportedly supported violence during the 1993 riots in the city. The party accused the Jains of doing a volte-face for altering their position on "non-violence".
"Until now, only fanatic Muslims used to bully people in the name of religion. If the Jains too are going on the path of Muslims, then God save them. During the 1992-93 Mumbai riots, Marathis had protected Jains, who were saved because violence had been answered by violence. At that time too 'Paryushan' was on. But Jains were at the forefront of supporting violence then," the Sena said in an edit in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
Here is how people reacted to MNS act
