Mumbai: Kalyan-Dombivli has found itself at the centre of a heated political storm after the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) reportedly ordered all slaughterhouses and meat shops to remain shut on August 15, Independence Day. The decision has triggered a sharp backlash from both political leaders and local traders, who accuse the civic body of crossing constitutional boundaries and interfering in personal freedoms.
Leading the charge, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray openly condemned the move, calling it “arbitrary, unnecessary, and against the spirit of independence.” Speaking to reporters, Thackeray argued that Independence Day should symbolise freedom in every form — including the right to choose what one eats. “The Commissioner of Kalyan-Dombivli should be suspended. I don’t even know who he is. But this is unacceptable. What we eat on Independence Day is our right, our freedom. They cannot tell us whether to eat veg or non-veg. We will definitely eat non-veg,” he declared.
Citing his own family traditions, Thackeray added, “In our house, even on Navratri, our prasad has prawns, fish, because this is our tradition, this is our Hinduism. Food choices are not a matter of religion, and they are not a matter of national interest.” His remarks have since gone viral, sparking widespread debate on social media about the limits of government authority over personal lifestyle choices.
The ban has also drawn strong opposition from local meat traders, who say they were served notices without proper consultation. Rupesh Manohar Gone, owner of Kalyan Mutton Shop and a member of the Khatik Samaj, said the directive is both economically damaging and culturally insensitive. “This is the day our country became independent. KDMC cannot dictate what we eat; it’s a personal choice. People celebrate this day like a festival and prefer to eat what they enjoy, be it chicken or mutton,” Gone said.
He stressed that the closure will directly affect livelihoods. “Our community relies on the meat trade to survive. Closing for a full day will cause significant hardship for our families. This is not just about food — it’s about our right to work,” he added.
Several other shop owners echoed the same frustration, arguing that Independence Day brings in high sales, and the closure could lead to losses running into lakhs of rupees. Many also questioned why the directive was issued in the first place, as there has been no prior tradition of such a ban on August 15.
