November 21, 2024

A resolution has been passed in the Delhi civic body being run by the BJP that seeks to ban public display of meat products on grounds of “hygiene and sentiments”. Hygiene one can understand, but “sentiments”? There are as many meat eaters in India as there are vegetarians and eating houses displaying kebabs in skewers to attract customers is an age-old practice. So whose “sentiments” are BJP councilors talking about? If sentiments of vegetarians were really affected by the practice, there would have been daily scuffles in every area of Delhi. This is nothing more but another trick to arouse passions and drive a wedge between communities. In fact, most of these kebabs are grilled in an open area. So will there be a ban on that too?

As for hygiene, there are many other things that deserve the attention of our ‘respected’ councilors and meat on display in licensed shops should be nowhere on this list of priorities. The whole of Delhi (as any other city and town in India) is full of street vendors peddling a wide variety of eatables that pose serious health hazard. From coloured drinks to cut fruit and from rolls shallow fired in adulterated oil to dirty serving utensils, each vendor is peddling disease along with food. But no questions of hygiene are ever raised against them.

If the civic body is so concerned about hygiene, it should start a drive against these unlicensed street vendors and ensure they meet basic standards of hygiene. As for display of meat, leaving false excuses of hurt ‘sentiments’ aside, the civic body can also ask these eateries to ensure displayed skewers are suitably protected to ensure hygiene instead of enforcing a ban. The party must ensure that some of its councilors do not take up such mischievous projects that have the potential of inflaming passions and dividing communities.