Meat eaters can abstain out of respect: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday advised people to respect the sentiments of others while upholding the Gujarat government's restriction on slaughter houses during a Jain festival 'Paryushan'.

Citing the example of Mughal Emperor Akbar, who forbade meat eating for six months, the two-member Bench consisting Justice HK Sema and Justice Markandey Katju said it's not unreasonable to abstain from meat for nine days in a year in Ahmedabad.

The court noted that a short, nine-day restriction wouldn’t impact non-vegetarians or meat traders.

Non-vegetarians could well remain vegetarian for this period, it said. It also said there was no need to be over-sensitive about a short restriction especially when it was being done out of respect for the sentiments of a particular section of society, in a multi-cultural country.

The observation was made by the court while upholding the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s direction to ban the sale of meat and closing of meat-shops in the town for the 'Paryushan' festival.

The Bench allowed the appeals against a judgment of the Gujarat High Court, which quashed the order of closure of meat selling joints.

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