India, Aug. 13 -- After the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) issued an order banning the sale of meat on Independence Day recently, on Tuesday, civic bodies of Malegaon, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Nagpur followed suit.

While the ban generated criticism from the Opposition, with Shiv Sena (UBT) indicating that it was an "imposition of vegetarianism", members of the ruling alliance were divided in their responses to the ban - while the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) questioned it, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spoke up in its support, pointing out that past regimes had implemented similar bans.

After the three cities issued the notice on Tuesday, deputy chief minister and head of NCP, Ajit Pawar said: "It is not right...