All India Majalis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Imtiaz Jaleel on Tuesday slammed the Maharashtra government's guidelines for the upcoming Bakri Eid festival and demanded that temporary markets be set up for the occasion.
Jaleel further said the state government must explain what it means by "symbolic" sacrifice (qurbani) on Bakri Eid.
Last week, the state government issued specific guidelines for celebrating the festival on July 31 and August 1 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As per the guidelines, people have been asked to offer namaz at home instead of mosques and also purchase sacrificial animals online or over the phone.
The state government had also appealed that "qurbani" or ritual animal sacrifice preferably be done symbolically.
"The state government should explain to us what it means by ''symbolic'' sacrifice. The state government cannot dictate our festivals now. Moreover, when everything else is getting unlocked, why are places of worship still shut?" Jaleel asked.
"The state government should allow temporary markets. People will take precautions and maintain social distancing," he said, after a meeting with the Aurangabad police commissioner.
It is not just about Bakri Eid, but also about other upcoming festivals, he said, adding that the festive season also helps boost business for small-time vendors who have been severely hit by the coronavirus-induced lockdown.