The Rajasthan government on Monday announced a two-day ban on the sale of meat, eggs and other non-vegetarian food items to mark upcoming religious occasions.

According to the official order, slaughterhouses, mutton and chicken shops across the state will remain closed on 28 August for the Paryushan festival and on 6 September for Anant Chaturdashi, according to an India Today report.

In what is being seen as a first, the restrictions have also been extended to eggs, prohibiting their sale on both days. Sources said the move followed repeated demands from several religious organisations.

The decision mirrors similar bans imposed in other states this month. In Bengaluru, the BBMP prohibited animal slaughter and meat sales on 16 August during Krishna Janmashtami. Municipal bodies in Maharashtra also enforced bans on 15 August (Independence Day) and 20 August to coincide with festivals.

However, the Rajasthan order has sparked sharp political reactions. Opposition leaders from the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) criticised the decision, calling it an attack on people’s right to choose their food.

Even Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar joined in the criticism, saying such restrictions were misplaced and “wrong.”