Lucknow: After Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered police officials to prepare an action plan for the closure of illegal slaughter houses in the state, the famous Tunday Kababi shop in Lucknow is under duress due to crunch in buffalo meat.
During earlier days at 1 pm, the iconic “Tunday Kababi” shop use to be the busiest one as customers use to purchase kababs from here but today 15 of its 20-odd tables were unoccupied.
The 100-year-old shop that draws people from India and abroad to the crowded Chowk area of Uttar Pradesh’s capital.
Manager at the iconic eatery, Abu Bakr said, “People come here for buffalo meat kebabs, am not sure they will take to mutton or even chicken kebabs.”
New stickers pasted on every wall inside the shop advertise “chicken and mutton kebabs”.
The slaughterhouse which supplied buffalo meat was shut down on Wednesday by civic officials who said their “papers are not in order”.
A number of slaughterhouses, allegedly operating without licences, have been shut down since BJP government led by priest-politician Yogi Adityanath took power on Sunday.
Yogi Adityanath, speeding through the BJP’s poll promises after taking charge, has ordered a ban on illegal slaughterhouses.
Near about twenty-five kilogram of buffalo meat used by the Tunday shop daily came from the slaughterhouse.
Abu Bakr said, “You see, on a normal day I would not have had the time to speak to you.”
He added, “I am willing to go by whatever the government decides, but perhaps everyone should be given some more time to put their house in order if there are any irregularities. Otherwise this will kill my business and many will lose their jobs.”
Businessman Mohammad Javed, a regular, went back disappointed yesterday. He said, “Buffalo meat kebabs are also cheaper. So the poor can come here and eat in 30 rupees. Not everyone can pay Rs. 50 or 70 for chicken or mutton kebabs. I am totally with the government but legitimate businesses shouldn’t be harmed.”
