Both Independence Day and Gokul Ashtami (or Krishna Jamashtami), a Hindu festival celebrating Lord Krishna’s birth, are being observed on Friday.

On 12 August, Tuesday, the city’s civic authorities had announced that slaughterhouses and stores selling meat within the city would be closed on two dates: 15 August and 20 August.

According to their directive, these establishments were required to shut on 15 August for Gokul Ashtami, and again on 20 August, when Jains mark Paryushan Parva, a major festival for the community observed with fasting and prayer.

Jaleel, who has previously served as an MP and leads the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), arranged the gathering at his residence to register his disapproval of the policy, serving both chicken biryani as well as a vegetarian dish for guests. Speaking to with journalists, he said, “If the municipal commissioner comes and asks for vegetarian food, then I will offer it to him. But the government should not tell us what we should eat and what we should not.”

He continued, “Such things should be stopped. This unfortunate decision (of meat ban) was taken on account of Independence Day.”