Yogi favours ban on sale o meat, liquor in Mathura
With chief minister Yogi Aditya Nath favouring ban on sale of meat and liquor in Mathura, demand to declare the religious city as ‘teerth’ (pilgrimage centre) has gained momentum. There are seven sites all over Mathura district which have been declared ‘teerth’ and there is already ban on sale of liquor and meat there. However, Mathura city has not been declared ‘teerth’ till now.
The chief minister was in Mathura on Monday to offer prayers at Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi on the occasion of Janmashtmi. Addressing the gathering at the ‘Krishnotsav’ organized by UP Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad at Ramlila ground, he supported the demand of local saints for ban on sale of meat and liquor at spots declared as pilgrimage centres in Mathura.
“We had declared Mathura as Nagar Nigam in 2017. After that we declared seven holy spots as ‘teerth sthal (pilgrimage). It has been a wish of all that liquor and meat should not be consumed at these seven spots and it should be so,” he had said.
“However, we do not want to uproot those involved in liquor and meat business and so there is need to rehabilitate them. There should be proper counselling and training of those involved in sale of liquor and meat. It would be better if small outlets or stalls came up for sale of milk and those selling liquor were employed at these stalls,” suggested the chief minister.
‘Such sale of milk all over would make one have a feel of ‘dwapar’ (the age of Lord Krishna) age when Braj (area within and around Mathura) was known for milk and curds,” added the chief minister. “Status of ‘teerth’ (pilgrimage) itself carries the provision for ban on sale of liquor and meat and for ban on the sale of these products, there is need to declare Mathura city as ‘teerth’. The town of Vrindavan has been granted status of ‘teerth’ but Mathura was left out,” complained Gopeshwar Chaturvedi, member of Sri Krishna Janmbhoomi Trust.
It may be recalled that seven spots linked to Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha have been declared ‘teerth’, including Vrindavan, Gokul, Barsana, Nandgaon, Goverdhan, Baldev and Radhakund in Mathura district.
They were accorded status o grimage by Yogi Aditya N regime.
“It is nice that sale and sumption of liquor and me banned at these seven pilg age but Mathura was left despite the city having cov religious sites like Sri Kris Janmabhoomi and Dwar heesh temple,” complai Chaturvedi. Four-time M from Mathura assembly seat former leader of Congress L lative Party (CLP) Pradeep hur too favoured the deman declare Mathura as ‘teerth pilgrimage. “Residents of hura city feel cheated at the having been deprived of the tus of ‘teerth’ which would a matically bring ban on sal liquor and meat,” said Mat But he said alternate arra ments should be made for th lakh Muslims residing in hura city after ban on sal meat and liquor.