NEW DELHI: Several meat shops in the western Uttar Pradesh town of Hathras were set on fire by alleged mobs on Tuesday night, and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the police on Wednesday to plan easing out of slaughterhouses and stop the smuggling of cows on war footing.

Incidents of arson, blamed by police on ‘anti-social elements’, happened only two days after a BJP government led by Adityanath was sworn in Uttar Pradesh.

Since the new government has come to power, there is a sudden rise in demand against slaughterhouses in the state, reports said. Recently, Moradabad, SSP, issued notice to his subordinates asking them to be strict against cattle smuggling and operations of illegal slaughter houses. Similar orders have been issued across districts.

“We will register a case if someone lodges complaint. A police picket has been deployed in the area to maintain law and order situation,”a police officer was quoted as saying.

On March 21, a slaughterhouse was sealed by the district authorities in the Kamalgadaha locality under Jaitpura police station, police officials said. While Adityanath directed police officers to prepare an action plan to shut down slaughterhouses he has also ordered a blanket ban on cattle smuggling and said there must be “zero tolerance” in such cases.

Officers say the ban will be restricted to illegal slaughterhouses. Slaughterhouses allegedly running without permits have been shut down in Allahabad, Varanasi, Agra and Ghaziabad over the past two days. There have been reports of inspections across the state.

The BJP, which won a massive victory in UP, had said in its manifesto that illegal slaughterhouses and large, mechanised abattoirs would be closed. But party chief Amit Shah had said while campaigning that the aim was to shut down slaughterhouses, which led to confusion. The BJP manifesto also focused on ending cattle smuggling, calling it the reason dairy-based industries have failed to flourish in UP. The party said there has been a “fall in cattle count” during the previous Samajwadi Party rule.

In his orders, Adityanath also directed the police to act tough against anti-social elements. He warned that those using police security as a “status symbol” would be watched and their security could be changed based on a review of the threat they face.

According to NDTV, young men were questioned, shamed and even forced to do sit-ups in various cities across the state on Wednesday as “anti-Romeo squads” of the police were out on the streets on the orders of Adityanath. This, NDTV said, is among the more striking moves by the 44-year-old, CM who is racing to deliver on promises made by his party.

Since Tuesday, police teams have been on patrol near colleges, malls, parks and other public places.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2017