hindu-group-shuts-kfc-nazeer-foods-in-ghaziabad-for-shravan

Hindu Raksha Dal members on Friday forcibly closed the shutters of two popular restaurants — Nazeer Foods and KFC — in Ghaziabad for selling meat during the current phase of Sawan, while the police were mute spectators. Sources opined that the incident in Vasundhara locality of Ghaziabad comes even as the sale of non-vegetarian foodstuff are not prohibited in the relevant area during the ongoing Sawan season and Kanwar Yatra.

 

Videos of the incident captured the group chanting "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "Jai Shri Ram" as they approached the restaurants' staff members and locked down the shutters. It also captured one of the members informing the staff at KFC that "this is Hindustan and whatever the Hindus want will happen here".

 

The staff at KFC appears to be hassled and making a few phone calls over the protest. 

 

"We're protesting here against KFC and Nazeer Foods because this is a Hindu-dominated area. Kanwar Yatras take place here but these guys are selling meat here. How do you not show respect to the sentiments of the Hindus when they are the ones residing here. This is our festival and if anyone dares to interfere then we will protest," one of the members explained.

 

Also read: Plea in SC against UP govt's 'QR code' mandates for Kanwar Yatra

 

He claimed that the group had already sought prior permission from the administration regarding the protest. "We have no written permission but since we are very active here, we keep communicating with them and thus, got a verbal permission," he stated.

 

Another member uttered: "They will be forced to close their stores. If these KFC and Nazeer Foods stores are reopened, we will organise the same protest and close them down."

 

The Kanwar Yatra, which started on June 10, witnesses the participation of lakhs of pilgrims each year who undertake the journey primarily on foot from Haridwar to their local Shiva temples, taking holy water from the Ganga to pour on Shivlingas. The Uttar Pradesh state government had recently been criticised for its decision to make it compulsory for all shops on the Kanwar Yatra route to have genuine licenses and write down the original owner's name.