Prayagraj (UP): Allahabad High Court has dismissed the PIL filed against the ban on the sale of liquor and meat by the state government in 22 wards of Mathura-Vrindavan.
A division bench of Justice Pritinkar Diwakar and Justice Ashutosh Srivastava said that India is a country of diversities. "If unity is to be maintained in the country, then respect for all communities and religions is very important," the court observed while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Shahida, a social activist from Mathura.
"Despite the diversity in the country, unity is the beauty here," the court said. Accusing the local police of harassing people, the petitioner said that the ban on the sale of liquor and meat should be removed. "Eating food of one's choice is part of the fundamental right of the people," argued the petitioner. The court said that it is not considering the legality of the ban imposed by the government, as the petition has not challenged the mandate to impose the ban.
The court further said that Mathura-Vrindavan is a holy place and a large number of pilgrims come there. On September 10, 2021, the state government banned the sale of liquor and meat within a radius of 10 square kilometres of Mathura-Vrindavan Krishna Janmabhoomi. Mathura's Food Processing Officer, Food Safety and Drugs had passed an order and cancelled the registration of shops selling meat with immediate effect. Saddened by this order of the local administration, the petitioner had filed public interest litigation as a social worker.
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