Patna, February 24 Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has vowed to crack down on shops selling meat, fish, and poultry near religious and educational institutions, claiming that these offended "people's sentiments" and promoted "violent tendencies" among children.
The senior BJP leader, who holds the urban development portfolio in the Nitish Kumar government, made a statement to this effect a couple of days ago when his views were sought on a recent circular issued by the department.
"We are creating a new Bihar, and this is reflected in all the steps we take. I issued directions to strictly implement the rules in a recent departmental meeting, which have been framed to ensure proper hygiene and social harmony," he said.
"We are not against people's right to have food of their choice. But, selling such items in the open, especially near religious institutions, adversely affects people's sentiments. Similarly, these need to be kept away from educational institutions to prevent violent tendencies among children," Sinha said.
A senior department official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the rules have been in force "for years".
"Shops selling meat, fish, and poultry near such places operate illegally. We do not wish to comment on the reasons that may have led to these rules, but yes, there has been a recent emphasis on enforcing them," he said.
According to sources in the department, meat shops first caused trouble for Sinha a few weeks ago when, during a visit to the north Bihar district of Darbhanga, he was disturbed by the odour emanating from roadside stalls selling these items.
District authorities were promptly directed to take remedial action, and, in due course, strict enforcement of the Bihar Municipality Act, 2007, was ordered across the state.
However, in a state where the consumption of non-vegetarian food by opposition leaders like Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav, and Rahul Gandhi has, in recent times, become a political issue, with even Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that meat was consumed by INDIA bloc leaders during "auspicious" periods to insult Hindus and "appease" Muslims, concerns have been raised that Sinha may have been resorting to "dog whistling" at a time when the Holi festival is approaching, and elections are due in Assam and West Bengal.
"The rules against selling meat near schools and temples have been in place for ages. But, the way Vijay Sinha spoke makes it clear that he was targeting a particular community," senior RJD MLA Bhai Virendra told