Bihar plans ban on open meat sales near schools, temples to curb ‘violent tendencies’
text_fields
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha announced Sunday that the state will prohibit open meat sales near educational institutions to prevent “violent tendencies” in children and maintain social harmony.
The restrictions will also cover open spaces near religious sites and crowded areas, citing health concerns and the need to protect “sentiments of purity.” Sinha told reporters: “We have no problem with food, but social harmony and the sentiments of purity should not be hurt. No one’s sentiments should be hurt, and the environment should not be polluted.”
He clarified that the move targets no community or dietary preference, following Darbhanga residents' complaints about roadside sales causing filth, odour, and congestion.
Enforcement will use Section 345 of the Bihar Municipal Act, 2007, requiring licenses from the Chief Municipal Officer for butchers, fish, and poultry sellers. Last week, Sinha previewed urban bans on unlicensed open-air sales in the Legislative Council.
The policy aligns with BJP-ruled states' measures: Uttar Pradesh's 2017 rules banned meat sales near temples and mandated curtains/tinted glass for shops; Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra impose festival-time curbs.