Congress Mumbai chief Milind Deora on Tuesday hit out at the Shiv Sena accusing the Uddhav Thackeray-led party of acting against minorities. Speaking at a public meeting, Milind Deora said that the Shiv Sena had insulted Jain religion by cooking meat outside a Jain temple in Mumbai during Paryushan festival in 2015. The former Congress MP asked people to teach the Shiv Sena a lesson through votes.

Deora, who is contesting election from Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat, said "Shiv Sena has been against minorities. A few years ago, they insulted Jain religion by cooking meat outside Jain temples during Paryushan festival. You must remember this and teach them a lesson through your votes,". The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had banned the sale of meat for four days during Paryushana festival in 2015.

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To be noted that the Shiv Sena and MNS had protested against the ban. Defying the ban, members of the two parties had gathered outside a Jain temple and begun selling chicken. They were later detained. Shiv Sena, in its mouthpiece Saamana, had also slammed Jains for their insistence on banning the sale of meat during their festival Paryushan. The party had accused the Jains of doing a volte-face for altering their position on "non-violence".

A Saamana editorial read "Until now, only fanatic Muslims used to bully people in the name of religion. If the Jains too are going on the path of Muslims, then God save them. During the 1992-93 Mumbai riots, Marathis had protected Jains, who were saved because violence had been answered by violence. At that time too 'Paryushan' was on. But Jains were at the forefront of supporting violence then,".

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MNS chief Raj Thackeray had also lashed out at the Jains. Thackeray had questioned "This is Maharashtra, not Gujarat. Jains should not decide what we should eat. BJP is manipulating the issue for their benefit. I appeal to my party workers not to heed to any such ban. Sale of meat will continue, we will protect those who sell meat. Digambar Jains roam naked showing their body, if that is okay then why this meat ban?".