The move drew sharp criticism from restaurateurs, meat vendors, and civil liberties advocates, who argued that such blanket orders infringe on personal choice, violate constitutional rights, and cater selectively to religious or moral agendas. Critics also pointed out the selective nature of these bans — applied disproportionately on festivals tied to vegetarian communities, while festivals linked to meat consumption face no such official restrictions.

Food rights activists note that these recurring closures, whether framed as “appeals” or enforced through administrative orders, create a chilling effect for meat vendors, many of whom are from economically marginalised communities. “When the government ‘requests’ something with the threat of strict action behind it, it’s not really a request anymore,” one Delhi meat traders’ association member said after the Independence Day controversy.

Singh’s latest announcement has already begun stirring online backlash, with some accusing the MCD of overstepping its authority and engaging in moral policing. Others question why a city administration struggling with chronic waste management, flooding, and infrastructure issues is dedicating resources to monitoring the smell of goat meat.

Still, supporters of the mayor’s move argue that it is a small ask in the interest of social harmony and religious respect. “It’s just for a few days, why can’t people cooperate?” one supporter said.

For now, meat vendors in Delhi will again be forced into the uneasy position of weighing business losses against the risk of “hurting sentiments” — sentiments that, in the capital’s increasingly polarised political climate, are starting to look less like fragile feelings and more like a tool for controlling public life, one food ban at a time.

With PTI inputs