BHUBANESWAR: The Koraput district collector has issued a directive prohibiting the sale of non-vegetarian items across the district on the Republic Day.
The order purportedly issued by collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan directed all the tehsildars, block development officers and executive officers of the district to issue a notification prohibiting the sale of meat, chicken, egg, fish and other non-vegetarian items on January 26, marking the Republic Day celebration.
The order, however, did not explain the rationale behind the ban on the sale of non-vegetarian items. It was also unclear if the ban applied to non-vegetarian food in eateries and hotels across the district on the Republic Day.
The order went viral on social media and drew sharp reactions from netizens.
A few questioned how the government could impose restrictions on the food choices of people.
“Explain this arbitrariness ironically for the commemoration of the day when the Constitution was enacted! Where is your constitutional morality, and what about the infringement of the Fundamental Rights? It's not about just one day, but about the rights,” said Shobhangam Mohanty on his X handle.
Another X user said: “Instead of providing people with good infrastructure and corruption-free facilities, the focus is on what we eat and what we wear -- the Indian bureaucracy is our biggest failure! Our taxpayer money with no return - sab bhagwan bharose!”
Sources said it was based on the district administration’s Republic Day preparatory meeting that took place a month ago.