Mumbai: Restaurants and hotels are fearing for their businesses after the Maharashtra government’s decision to ban the slaughter of cattle in the state.
Under the new rules, anyone found selling or in possession of beef faces imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of Rs10,000 (Dh590).
Also banned is the transporting of cows, bulls and bullocks for slaughter.
Though the regulation allows the slaughter and consumption of water buffalo, most outlets do not want to take a chance and have taken all bovine dishes off the menu.
Even five-star hotels that also import beef are waiting for more clarification from the government.
Mumbai’s iconic Taj Hotel has not come out with any official statement. However, a spokesperson at the hotel said: “We have stopped serving beef in all our restaurants at our hotels in Maharashtra.”
The Taj Group has hotels in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Gondia and Baghvan on the edge of Pench Tiger Reserve.
While most hotels and restaurants in the city did not want to comment on an issue that is being seen as sensitive, Kamlesh Barot, a senior member and ex-president of Hotels and Restaurants Association (Western Region), said, “All our 1,200 members in Maharashtra have taken beef off their menu but we still have to clarify with the government whether beef from outside the state can be brought in or whether this too is banned.”
Foreign visitors to hotels and restaurants will most certainly be hit by the absence of beef, he said.
According to Barot, Indian non-vegetarians make up just 30 percent of customers at bars and clubs whilst normal restaurants serving both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food have a 50-50 make-up.
Only in seafood restaurants, are the customers entirely non-vegetarian.
“As of now the focus is mainly on the abattoirs where the slaughter of these animals has stopped. It will certainly hit the minority community that depends on this meat,” he said.
Cow slaughter banned in many states
Though there is a lack of uniformity among state laws governing cattle slaughter, the strictest laws are in Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh where the slaughter of cow and its progeny, including bulls and bullocks of all ages, is completely banned.
However, Assam, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal permit the slaughter of cows over the ages of 14, 10 and 14 years respectively. Most states prohibit the slaughter of calves.
In Delhi, Puducherry, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh violation of state laws on cattle slaughter are both cognisable and non-bailable offences. Most other states specify that offences would be cognisable only. The maximum term of imprisonment varies from 6 months to five years and the fine from Rs 1,000-Rs 10,000.
