In allowing fish sale, Maharashtra Government just repeated what the Jain leaders say

Staff correspondent, September 11, 2015, NewsCrunch

Defending the meat ban for four days during Jain festival Paryushan, the Maharashtra government told the Mumbai High Court that the prohibition did not extend to fish.

It said fish was exempted as they die after taken out of water; there is no violence as they arrive to the market dead.

While the logic may sound strange, the government lawyer just repeated that the Jain community has been saying.

In an interview with Rediff, Dinesh Jain a BJP corporator from Mira-Bhayander had said three days ago that it was ok to sell fish during Paryushan.

“You know that when fish is taken out from the sea it is dead,” said Dinesh Jain.

In contrast, he said, “keeping meat in shops and cutting it was like taking a life.”

It was Dinesh Jain, who had moved the original proposal to ban the sale of meat and shut abattoirs, during the Jain festival.

The exemption on fish is also driven by practical considerations. Jain leaders fear that asking for a ban on fish would lead to a confrontation with Kolis, the fishermen community, who are supported by MNS.

“Some want to instigate a fight between the two communities (the Jains and Kolis). You read our proposal for the ban. It clearly states nothing about fish,” said Dinesh Jain.

“We (have) conveyed to them (the MNS) that we never wanted a ban on fish,” he added.