Uttar Pradesh meat sellers' strike enters third day

The indefinite strike by meat sellers in Uttar Pradesh entered third day today, with no fresh attempts to end the impasse.
However, the impact of the state-wide strike was not felt much in view of the 'Navaratra', during which people in north India generally abstain from consuming non-vegetarian food.
Shops selling fish, egg and chicken were open in the state capital but there were not many buyers.
Representatives of agitating meat-sellers and exporters had met with Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Siddhartha Nath Singh yesterday but no immediate rapprochement is in sight.
The office-bearers of their associations have submitted a memorandum to the state government and now want to meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"The strike called by mutton-sellers would continue at least till the end of Navaratra (April 5). It may be extended further depending upon the outcome of talks," Mubeen Qureshi, an office-bearer of Lucknow Bakra Gosht Vyapar Mandal said today when contacted.
Iqbal Qureshi, president of Meat-Murga Vyapaari Kalyan Samiti, UP, said the state government has started taking action against illegal slaughterhouses, but it has affected the shopkeepers and their livelihood.