Mangaluru: “Even in Muslim countries and world cities like Dubai, pork is freely available.” has commented Farhan Jehan-partner of Leopold Cafe, one of the most popular restaurants in Mumbai.The Leopold Cafe is a large and popular restaurant and bar on Colaba Causeway, in the Colaba area of Mumbai, India, located across from the Colaba Police station. It was one of the first sites attacked during the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. The cafe was also mentioned extensively in the novel Shantaram. Founded in 1871 by Iranis, it first started out as a wholesale oil store and over the years has variously been a restaurant, store and pharmacy.
The cafe was an early site of gunfire and grenade explosions during the 2008 Mumbai attacks by terrorists. The restaurant was extensively damaged during the attacks. Gunmen sprayed the restaurant with bullets and there were blood stains on the floor and shoes left by fleeing customers. Sourav Mishra, a Reuters reporter and one of the first media witnesses of the attack, suffered severe bullet injuries. The cafe reopened four days after the attack, but was reclosed by the police as a safety measure after two hours because of the unexpected size of crowds gathering there.
The cascading effect of the controversial beef ban in Maharashtra has now hit one of Mumbai’s most popular restaurants, Leopold Café as the beef menu has disappeared from its tables. Leopold’s, as it is called in Mumbai, is one of the many restaurants in the city hit hard by the beef ban. The café in Colaba in South Mumbai, which is one of the oldest Irani-run restaurants set up in 1871, has witnessed a sharp fall in footfalls for the first time since the terror attacks.
Speaking to reporters, Farhan Jehan-one of the partners of Leopold had said “The business has come down by more than 30 per cent. Instead of moving ahead, we are going backwards. Even in Muslim countries and world cities like Dubai, pork is freely available.” Dishes like beef chilli, beef kebabs and beef burgers were some of the most sought after in the elaborate menu at Leopold.
‘Beef Ban Contravenes Central Laws’
Courtesy : The Hindu
Petitioners challenging Maharashtra’s controversial beef ban law told the Bombay High Court that the provision criminalising consumption of beef obtained by the legal slaughter of animals in other States was in contravention of Central laws.
Appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate Aspi Chinoy told the court that Section 5 (d) of Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, which prohibits possession and consumption of meat of cow, bulls and bullocks even if the animals have been slaughtered outside Maharashtra, was in conflict with Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Livestock Importation (Amendment) Act, 2001.
He said whereas the Food Safety Act allowed the consumption of canned meat, the Livestock Importation Act had a category for “live-stock products’ including meat from bovine animals.
“Even though the Maharashtra Bill has got presidential assent now, the Bill was passed in 1995. Whereas these are Central Laws passed by Parliament and came into being much later,” he submitted.
On how Section 5 (D) caused a conflict, counsel said the Act criminalises consumption or possession of meat obtained legally. Also, the clause was not in consonance with the other provisions of a law whose purpose was ensuring the safety of agricultural assets in Maharashtra.
“Meat brought from other States would have no impact on the livestock here but this, in effect, is saying people not to consume beef at all. This, in effect, violates one’s freedom to eat what he or she likes and hence the right to privacy,” he said, responding to an affidavit filed by the government justifying the ban.
The beef chilly is one of the best dishes served at ‘Leoppold’s’. All I have now is the memories of that to cherish, while I guess I will be lucky enough to eat some in another state and have a great time at Leopolds with the STATE’S MENU!
Don’t worry. Take some patience another four years. BJP will be defeated at next election and then you will get plenty of beef to eat. Prepare for BJP’s ‘antim sanskar’
There is no other democratic country in the world like India with varying fundamental laws affecting the citizens of the same country. Citizens residing in the six States of the Union don’t have the fundamental right to change religion through the rigid laws enacted; thus infringing the fundamental right. The citizens of those States can move to the neighboring States and change religion. Now another greatly surprising law prohibiting the food consumption. Even today, massive export of beef is conducted from various States of India and the people of the vast majority of the States can consume beef; but the… Read more »
Dear readers, There is no religious compulsion to the ‘Go Matha’ for BJP, accept that this trade of ‘Pink revolution’ has deeply associated with the economic conditions of Muslims of India. While Swami vivekananda to Hindu religious scriptures openly talking about the consumption, the RSS political wing BJP made this political issue to grab the Hindu vote bank showing sympathy to suffering of cows by fellow Muslim citizens of this nation. If BJP ruled Goa is free to sell ‘Beef’ why can’t rest of India under BJP ruled state follow the suit? As per Hindu religious scripture when the demon… Read more »
It is because some fanatic Hindus who hate Muslims and Christians want to show their dominance over them. For centuries Indians of various religions must have been eating beef and our ancestors knew it but they were hardly bothered as those who did not want to eat simply abstained from it. When I read comments on articles related to this topic, I come across various people who are living outside India where beef is available but they want to be banned in India citing it hurts their religious beliefs. If that so, how do they live almost all their life… Read more »
Beef ban is intended to make the farmers of Maharashtra further poor by not allowing them to sell even the unproductive cattle so that out of sheer poverty they will agree to sell their precious farm land to grabbers at pea nuts. This is what Rahul Gandhi said in the parliament. First make the farmers poor and then hit them hard with the Land ordinance Bill.
Leopald Cafe can serve chicken and mutton or fish. So the 30% who have stopped visiting this place visited this place for the beef dishes and not other dishes if one has to conclude. Good for them. They can regulate the crowds better now. Matthew saar can sit and eat now rather than standing and waiting.
Leopald Cafe can serve chicken and mutton or fish. – Dronappa
Who the hell are you to tell people what should be served and eaten?
When the whole world marches on towards progress, we are steadily or rather rapidly moving backwards. The present government at the center as well as, in Maharastra are unaware that it is easier to slide backwards but takes ages to cover the lost ground. There is always a limitation to the stupidity but here in India, there is no limit to utter stupidity. Dubai, though not a democratically run government, believes in democracy, the needs of people and above all strive hard to maintain law and order and gain momentum in progressing themselves as one of the most sort after… Read more »
What can one say about a civilization which treats some animals like gods and some human beings like animals?