"Meat sale must be prohibited on Ram Path": Ayodhya mayor as officials move to ban meat, liquor along religious routes

Ayodhya: Ayodhya officials have begun action to ban meat sales along key religious routes like Ram Path and Dharma 14 Kosi Marg, issuing notices to shopkeepers after complaints were raised at CM Yogi Adityanath's Janata Darbar. Ayodhya Mayor Girish Pati Tripathi also informed that a liquor ban is also being planned. 

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Mayor Tripathi said that discussions regarding the ban had been ongoing for a long time. "It was under discussion for a very long time that the sale of meat be banned in Ayodhya. It was decided that the sale of meat must be prohibited on Ram Path," said Tripathi. 

He added that steps would soon be taken to prohibit the sale of liquor in the same areas. "We are sure that we will soon ban liquor sale too...," he told ANI. 

Earlier, Food and Fertiliser Commissioner Manik Chand informed that the issue came to light during Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's Janata Darbar, when a complaint was lodged regarding meat shops in across Ram Path, Bhakti Path, Dharma Path and 14 Kosi Marg. Following the complaint, a team was formed to inspect the shops. Commissioner Chand confirmed that 22 meat shops were found running across these religious routes.

"A complaint was received during CM Yogi Adityanath's Janata Darbar that meat shops are running on Ram Path, Dharma 14 Kosi Parikrama Marg and Panchkosi Marg. We formed a team and inspected all the shops.", Commissioner Chand told ANI.

"All the meat shops are being issued notices, and they have been given a 7-day time limit to relocate their shops somewhere else. Action will be taken if they fail to do so... There are 22 meat shops on Ram Path, Bhakti Path and Dharma Path and 14 Kosi Marg... If there are any other shops, they will also face a similar procedure," Chand said. 

Earlier in March, the Uttar Pradesh government, headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, had issued strict orders to shut down illegal slaughterhouses and enforce a ban on the sale of meat within a 500-meter radius of religious sites.

A strict ban on animal slaughter and meat sales will be enforced on April 6, 2025, during Ram Navami. Under the UP Municipal Corporation Act, 1959, and the Food Safety Acts of 2006 & 2011, the Yogi government has directed officials to take strict action against violators.