Fishing in troubled waters: MNS plans meat fests on ‘Gujarati turf’

MUMBAI: MNS has asked its grassroots workers to host a series of fish festivals in Mumbai to lend a “tadka” to the on-going vegetarian-non-veg debate.
“This is not going to be the party’s official event. Our workers are deeply agitated over the vegetarian lobby’s concerted opposition to non-vegetarian cuisine. Scores of party workers wanted to lodge their protest in a unique style.They came up with the idea of fish festivals,” said a senior MNS functionary on Friday.
The rising cases of non-vegetarians being “targeted” by vegetarian communities seem to have spurred MNS to come out in support of the “victims”, said analysts. It looks like the party’s ploy to consolidate its Marathi vote bank ahead of the 2017 civic elections. Shiv Sena too has been flexing its political muscles on the issue. Theatre person Govind Chavan allegedly faced the ire of his vegetarian neighbours recently at an apartment in Dahisar. A Marathi Mumbaikar was reportedly denied a flat in a Malad apartment because of his dietary preferences.
The “festival” will coincide with 'akhadi amavasya' before the onset of the auspicious month of 'shravan', said an MNS source. MNS president Raj Thackeray held a meeting of key party functionaries at his Shivaji Park residence on Thursday to finalize the fish festival which is to be held in various parts of the city, especially in the western suburbs, which are known as the “Gujarati-Rajasthani” strongholds.
Senior party functionaries, including Nitin Sardesai, Shalini Thackeray, Nayan Kadam and Shirish Sawant, among others, were present at the meeting. Raj asked party workers to maintain peace during the event, said a worker from Andheri. “It’s going to be a gathering of non-vegetarians who would want to tell the vegetarians that Bombay Duck and biryani are here to stay, come what may,” he said.
Workers will cook for non-vegetarian Mumbaikars, irrespective of caste and creed. ‘Kombdi vade’, a Maharashtrian delicacy, will be the principal attraction, he added. “We are in the process of getting permission from the police and the BMC. Dates will be announced in a day or two,” said a party functionary from Dadar.