Vasai | September 9, 2026 — The Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation has asked meat shops in its jurisdiction to remain closed on two days during the Paryushan festival, prompting opposition from the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti. The civic body’s notice covers September 8 and September 15, the first and final days of this year’s Paryushan observance.
According to a report by Loksatta – Vasai-Virar, the corporation issued the notice on Tuesday. The appeal asks meat sellers across the Vasai-Virar municipal area to suspend sales on both dates. The report did not specify whether the notice is an advisory appeal or whether penalties will apply to shops that remain open.
The Marathi Ekikaran Samiti has criticised the decision and questioned the basis on which the municipal corporation issued the appeal. The organisation described the move as a unilateral decision and asked whose direction had led to the closure request. The report did not include a response from the municipal corporation to the committee’s objections.
Paryushan is a major festival in the Jain community. The observance focuses on self-examination, restraint, religious study, penance and seeking forgiveness from all living beings. Jain residents live in significant numbers in Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar, according to the report.
The closure request follows a Maharashtra Urban Development Department government resolution issued on June 29, 2019. The resolution was issued after Jain community members sought the closure of slaughterhouses in the region during Paryushan. Under the framework described in the report, slaughterhouses are not required to remain closed for the entire festival. Instead, closures are prescribed for two days: the first and final days of Paryushan.
This year’s Paryushan festival is being observed from September 8 to September 15. The municipal corporation’s appeal applies to meat sales on September 8 and September 15. The source report refers to meat shops and meat sales, while the 2019 government framework cited in the report concerns slaughterhouses.
The dispute places the municipal corporation’s festival-related notice within a broader question of how civic authorities implement rules that affect religious observance, commercial activity and access to meat products. The available report does not provide the full text of the municipal notice, details of enforcement arrangements or the number of businesses affected.
The immediate next step is the implementation of the corporation’s appeal on September 15, the final day identified in the notice. No further municipal clarification or statement from the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti was included in the report.
