Hindu groups, including VHP Gomantak and Bajrang Dal, have jointly called for a ban on non-vegetarian food stalls at the annual Saptah fair in Vasco, citing religious sensitivities during the holy month of Shravan. A memorandum was submitted to the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC), strongly objecting to the sale of meat near the Damodar temple during the festival.
Led by VHP Mormugao Secretary Sanjiv Korgaonkar, the delegation pointed out that the presence of chicken and other non-veg stalls during Shravan—when many Hindus refrain from eating meat—hurts religious sentiments. They further noted that a 2019 resolution passed by the MMC had prohibited such stalls at the fair, yet vendors continue to operate, particularly near the temple premises.
The memorandum demanded immediate revocation of trade licenses for these stalls and urged the council to tighten regulations when issuing permissions for future events.
Responding to the concerns, MMC Chairperson Girish Borker assured that action would be taken. He stated that a team would be deployed to curb non-veg sales during the Saptah. Borker clarified that some vendors had obtained licenses under the guise of fast food stalls, and the council was unaware they would serve meat. He emphasized that such violations would not be tolerated, and stricter checks would be implemented moving forward.