Bengal BJP chief says people free to eat what they want, party against open sale of beef only

Kolkata: Amid a political slugfest over an "fish-meat sale ban in open space" allegations by TMC against the NDA government in Bihar, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has asserted that people in the state are free to consume the food of their choice, clarifying that the party is only against the sale of beef in open.

The controversy erupted after senior TMC leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised what they described as a BJP-backed move against non-vegetarian food habits, linking it to a recent order by the Bihar government regulating the open sale of meat.

"People in Bengal will eat whatever they want to eat. Bengal will have its fish and meat," Bhattacharya said, rejecting allegations made by the TMC of a proposed ban on fish and meat sale in open in the neighbouring state.

Elaborating on the Bihar directive, Bhattacharya said the BJP had not proposed any such blanket restriction. "They can never utter such a thing. Why should they? None will accept it. The TMC is twisting the comments," he said.

None in Bihar or West Bengal will abide by such a ban if it comes, and no such ban exists, he said.

Drawing a distinction, he maintained that the BJP's position was limited to opposing the open sale of beef. "Only that stuff you sell in the open will not be allowed by the BJP," he said.

On the alleged ban on fish and meat sales in Bihar, the West Bengal chief minister on Tuesday pointed out the livelihood concerns of small traders.

She said, "I came across a report about the Bihar deputy chief minister asserting that fish and meat cannot be sold in the open market. This is anti-people and condemnable. Can everyone sell meat and fish in shopping malls? What will happen to the majority of fish and meat sellers on the road? What about their livelihood issue? Such politics is deplorable.”