Lucknow meat-sellers begin strike from today

LUCKNOW: Not just buffalo meat, Uttar Pradesh is heading towards a non-vegetarian crisis as markets selling chicken, goat and eggs have started closing.

While more than 80% of the markets selling non-vegetarian items downed shutters here on Friday, various traders’ associations have declared a strike from Saturday. Under the circumstances, vegetable prices, which were on the decline over the last week, are likely to see a hike.

“The indefinite strike begins tomorrow (Saturday) but most of the shops have shut down today (Friday). We have advised sellers, who have stocks in their shops, to sell till tonight and then shut shops from Saturday morning,” said Md Rizwan Siddiqui, Lucknow Chicken Mandi Samiti member. His shop in Azad Market in Indira Nagar had its shutters down. Shops nearby were closed and bird cages empty.

Meat, chicken and egg sellers are going on strike in solidarity with those whose businesses have been hit due to the crackdown on buffalo meat. The strike will hit hotels and restaurants hard as their supply chain will be affected.

“Today, the truck that replenishes my stock did not turn up,” said Mohammed Shakeel, who runs his business from Qaiserbagh market and supplies chicken to some of the top hotels and restaurants in Lucknow.

“Buffalo meat is not an isolated commodity. It is the cheapest meat available. The end of its sale will impact the demand-supply ratio of chicken, meat, eggs, and vegetables and will lead to steep price escalation. Which means that non-vegetarian food will be out of reach for many regular consumers,” said a meatseller. NEW DELHI: The external affairs ministry on Friday took exception to an editorial in The New York Times, which criticised the BJP’s decision to appoint Yogi Adityanath as the Uttar Pradesh chief minister.

Referring to the article titled Modi’s Perilous Embrace of Hindu Extremists, external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said: “All editorials or opinions are subjective. This case is particularly so. The wisdom in doubting the verdicts of genuine democratic exercises — at home or abroad — is questionable.”

The editorial, which was highly critical of PM Narendra Modi, claimed that he has been playing a “cagey game by appeasing his party’s hardline Hindu base while promoting secular goals of development and economic growth”.