Shiv Sena taunts BJP over meat ban in five states

Mumbai: Taking a dig over meat sale ban during Jain community's fasting period in five BJP-ruled states, the Shiv Sena today said the decision not to fire the first bullet on Pakistan at a time of ceasefire violations is the epitome of "non-violence" practised by its ally.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had last week assured a visiting delegation from Pakistan that India will not fire the first bullet as it wants cordial relations with all its neighbours.

"Talks of non-violence are going on everywhere. Some states, as part of supporting non-violence, have banned the
sale of meat for a few days.

"The epitome of our non-violent behaviour was seen last Friday when Pakistani rangers who were visiting India were
told by Home Minister that our country won't fire the first bullet. Let Pakistan fire as much as it wants but we won't fire," the Sena said in a satirical remark in its editorial mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

Even as talks were going on last Friday, two soldiers fell prey to non-violence being supported by the Union government, it quipped.

Though Mahatma Gandhi believed in non-violence, he had to once kill monkeys in his ashram, an insane dog and had to educate people on killing rats when plague hit the Borsad taluka in Gujarat, the editorial said.

The Sena said the controversy over ban on the sale of meat was uncalled for and clarified that the party, which has
been vocal against such a ban, had no intention to hurt the religious sentiments of any community.

"Jain brothers are not our enemies and we never asked them to leave the country. A mountain was made out of a
molehill by some for personal gains. We only say that the sentiments of other people should also be taken into account before demanding a complete ban on meat," the party pointed out.