Lawyers Complain About Navratri Restrictions In Supreme Court Canteen

The Supreme Court canteen, egalitarian for decades, would be serving only vegetarian food without even onion and garlic during the coming Navratris - a decision that has upset a section of lawyers. They have written to Supreme Court Bar Association which runs the canteen, saying it "would set a very wrong precedent for the future".

"The Supreme Court canteen caters to all. We are all dependent on it. Non serving of non-vegetarian or food with onion-garlic to cater to the wishes of a few is not in keeping with our pluralist traditions and would result in lack of respect for each other," the lawyers have written. 

"Once this is allowed, it will open the flood gates to a lot of other impositions as well," the letter read. 

The lawyers have requested that the canteen revert to is normal menu.

"At the same time, we will be glad if they can provide the Navratra menu to those observing it," they have added. 

One of the Bar Association members said on condition of anonymity that there was no order for the Navratri restrictions and it was the brainchild of the vendor running the canteen. "We will talk to him tomorrow and get it reverted to normal menu," he told NDTV.

Over the last years, there has been a growing trend of meat shops being shut down during Navratris. 

Two years ago, Mayors of then BJP-led civic bodies of Delhi wanted meat shops to be closed. But in absence of any official order, many shops had remained open. 

In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, while there was no official order to shut meat shops, many shops had stayed closed after visits from police.