Maharashtra temple town Dehu bans meat sale

The ban applies to both raw as well as cooked meat. (Representational image)

The civic body of Dehu in Pune district, where the famous Marathi saint-poet Tukaram lived, has banned the sale of meat and fish.

The ban, applicable to both raw as well as cooked meat and fish items, came into effect from Friday.

Tukaram, among the most prominent saint-poets in the Maharashtrian Bhakti tradition, was born in the town at the beginning of the 17th century, and hundreds of devotees visit the local temple dedicated to him every day.

"In the first general body meeting of the Nagar Panchayat on February 25, a resolution was passed unanimously to ban the sale of fish and meat in the jurisdiction of Dehu town considering the sentiments of warkaris (devotees of Lord Vitthal) and local residents," said Prashant Jadhav, chief officer of the Dehu Nagar Panchayat.

Being a temple town, there were only a handful of shops selling non-vegetarian items earlier, but they too have been closed now, he said.

When the area was governed by a gram panchayat, there was mutual understanding not to sell non-vegetarian items. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a few shops came up. After the formation of the Nagar Panchayat recently, a formal resolution banning the sale of meat and fish was passed, Jadhav added.

A flying squad has been formed to monitor the implementation of the ban, he said.

Dehu has a population of over 40,000. Sanjay More, one of the trustees of the Tukaram temple, said there was a collective demand from all stakeholders to ban the sale of fish and meat in the town.