The beef ban and the directive for compulsory screening of Marathi films are not the only contentious decisions made by the Devendra Fadnavis government so far.
Beef ban
Nineteen years after the Shiv Sena-BJP government passed the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill in 1995, the President provided assent to the bill last month, after the Fadnavis government re-sent the bill to him for approval. The Act effectively bans the slaughter of cows in the state. It also makes the sale and possession of beef illegal, to be punished with 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000.
Cow slaughter was banned in Maharashtra under the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act (MAPA) of 1976 but the new Act extended the ban on slaughter to calves, bulls and bullocks, exempting water buffaloes alone. The decision caused much outrage on social media, while beef traders in the state went on a month-long strike protesting the ban.
Education quota for Muslims scrapped
The Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government scrapped the ordinance providing reservation for Muslims in jobs and educational institutions. According to The Indian Express, the ordinance had been introduced by the previous Congress-NCP governement allowing for a 16% reservation for Marathas and 5% reservation for Muslims in governments jobs as well as schools and colleges run by the government. When the ordinance was challenged in court, the Bombay High Court scrapped the reservation for Marathas and the reservation for Muslims in government jobs, but upheld the 5% reservation for Muslims in education. However, the government allowed the ordinance to lapse.
While the Muslims quota was scrapped, the government introduced a similar bill proposing 16% reservation for the economically and socially backward in the Maratha community. The bill was passed in the Maharashtra Assembly during its Winter session despite being struck down by the Bombay High Court previously.
Scrapping River Regulation policy
As part of encouraging its 'Make In Maharashtra' policy, the government scrapped the River Regulation Zone (RRZ) policy which disallowed any industrial development within two kms of riverbanks. This would allow pollution heavy industries such as coal mining and cement to be set up closer to rivers. The move was slammed by several environmentalist activists who feared that this will lead to heavy pollution of the water bodies.
Marathi films in all mutliplexes
The latest directive by the Fadnavis government asks all multiplexes in the state to screen a Marathi film in the prime slot of 6 to 9 pm every day. This move also comes as part of the 'Make in Maharashtra' initiative. The state government already offers a subsidy for one Marathi film in every financial year with a citation for any Marathi film winning a national award.
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