Ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Chhattisgarh Government has issued a ban on the sale of meat across the State on January 22.
The order was issued on Saturday by the Urban Administration and Development Department, which referred to a provision under which slaughter houses and meat selling shops located within the limits of urban bodies remain closed on special occasions. It further directs all field officers of the district administration to implement the order strictly.
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“As per the decision taken by the State government, it is directed that apart from the above occasions, on the occasion of consecration of Ayodhya Shri Ram Temple on January 22, 2024, slaughter houses and meat selling shops should be kept closed in the entire state of Chhattisgarh,” the order said.
In line with many other States ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Vishnu Deo Sai government in Chhattisgarh, too, has made special preparations to join the celebrations around the pran pratishtha ceremony. On Friday, it declared a half-day public holiday on January 22, a decision the government said expressed “the collective joy of Chhattisgarh over the consecration of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya”.
“Lord Shri Ram was born in Ayodhya, and his mother, Mata Kaushalya, was born in Chhattisgarh, making him the bhancha (nephew) of the State. During his 14-year exile, Lord Shri Ram spent a significant 10 years in the forests of Chhattisgarh, forging a deep connection with its people,” Mr. Sai has said, highlighting the mythological connection between Lord Ram and the State.
