A letter from Sardhana, UP: ‘Clearly these are different times. How long do we protest?’

Ahmad is referring to the Sangeet Som Sena, the outfit formed by the supporters of former BJP MLA Sangeet Som, who had earlier called for a ban on the sale of meat and non-vegetarian food in Sardhana during the Navratri festival that began on Saturday. Later, the Sardhana police had booked the outfit’s UP chief Sachin Khatik, and six others for trying to disturb communal peace after they allegedly vandalised a food cart, claiming that its vendor was selling mutton biryani.

But despite the police action, fear prevails among restaurant owners such as Ahmad. While the area around the 43-year-old’s eatery is lined with about 40 food stalls, most of them are either shut or are not selling meat dishes, hitting their businesses hard.

Most food stall owners in Sardhana complain about “severe losses” in the past two years because of the Covid waves, “and now this unofficial meat ban is costing us further”.

Ahmad, who made between Rs 4,000-5,000 from sales earlier, says he now earns “far less” selling dal-roti.

During Ramzan, which started on the same day as Navratri this time, many of the stalls would deliver food parcels to homes, but that service has stopped this year.

Some locals claim that even butchers are now refusing to supply meat to their homes.

“This is perhaps the first time in my life that I am keeping roza without eating non-veg food. Everyone is afraid to sell meat,” says Shahid Anzar, 70, a resident.

On a Wednesday afternoon, many customers were seen flanking biryani stalls in the area to get food packed for iftari, but were told that non-veg items would be available post-Navratri.

“It is a crucial time for us, we would get bulk orders during Ramzan. Now, I have to show customers my vessel to convince them that I only have vegetarian items… It is to ensure that we are not approached by a certain group of people. We hope this is resolved soon,” says a biryani-seller whose stall is next to the town’s police booth.

The vendors say they don’t want their food carts to be attacked like the Saturday incident. Despite the action by the police, they say, members of the Som Sena continue to carry out vigils in the area to check if non-vegetarian food is being sold.

“We are ready to compromise for the sake of peace. These things have never taken this form but clearly these are different times. There is only so much we can protest,” says Altaf, a biryani-seller, turning away a customer.

While there is no written order banning the sale of meat and non-vegetarian dishes, Laxman Verma, SHO Sardhana Police Station had confirmed that there was an “oral communication that meat should not be sold during Navratri”. “For general information purposes, the message was communicated through oral instructions,” he had said.

The Som Sena’s Khatik says “we will continue to raise the issue”. “Sale of meat in the area will hurt sentiments. We have communicated this to the police and it is up to them now to ensure peace in the area.”

Meanwhile, Hindu residents of the town have remained largely indifferent to the controversy, with some insisting that “we do not want peace in the area to be disturbed”. “It is an unsaid rule that meat should not be sold during this period and an issue around it should not be created. It is a matter of a few days and if it is complied with, there will be no problems,” says Satish Singh, a resident.