In a significant move ahead of Bakri Eid on June 7, the Maharashtra government has officially revoked the contentious order to shut down all livestock markets between June 3 and June 8. The decision comes as a relief to the Muslim community, who had raised concerns over the directive issued by the Maharashtra Goseva Ayog under the state’s animal husbandry department.

The reversal was confirmed during a high-level meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday. The session, attended by several Muslim MLAs and community leaders, focused on ensuring seamless preparations for Bakri Eid, which involves the ritual sacrifice of goats — a religious practice central to the festival.

“The government is committed to preserving law and order during the festival. Traditional practices will be allowed to continue without any obstruction,” Fadnavis assured, according to participants in the meeting, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Leaders present also emphasized the strain placed on Mumbai’s only major slaughterhouse — the Deonar abattoir — which has served the city for over five decades. In response, the government has greenlit a proposal to modernize the Deonar facility to better handle the festive demand.

Additionally, calls were made for an increase in temporary abattoirs and smoother access to No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for residents intending to perform goat sacrifices within housing societies.

Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh welcomed the government’s response, saying, “We asked for additional abattoirs in Mumbai since the Deonar facility alone can’t satisfy the Eid demand. We also discussed the difficulties in acquiring NOCs from the BMC.”

Shaikh further urged the Chief Minister to take strong action against vigilante groups that obstruct legal animal transport and harass drivers under the guise of cow protection.