Bihar’s government said it will ban the open sale of meat and fish near schools, religious sites, and crowded public areas, citing public health and social harmony concerns, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said on Monday.
Speaking to reporters in Patna, Sinha, a senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said the measure is intended to prevent “violent tendencies” among children and maintain civic order. “We have no problem with food habits, but from a health perspective and for social interaction, and to prevent violent tendencies among children, we will ban the sale of meat and fish near educational and religious institutions and in crowded open spaces,” he said, according to ANI.
Sinha added that the ban also aims to protect public sentiment and prevent environmental pollution. Officials said enforcement will be backed by existing municipal laws requiring licences for vendors, and local authorities have been instructed to take action against unlicensed open‑air meat and fish sellers, The Indian Express reported.
The announcement follows complaints from residents in Darbhanga district about roadside meat sales causing filth, foul odour, and congestion, Sinha told the Legislative Council last week, according to The Indian Express.
Bihar is not the first BJP-ruled state to restrict visible meat sales. In 2017, the Uttar Pradesh government prohibited the sale of meat near religious sites and required shops to use curtains or tinted glass to prevent visibility to passers-by, ANI reported. Other states including Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra have also implemented localized restrictions during Hindu festivals.