West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee and state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya (Photos/Agencies)
New Delhi: Amid a political row over alleged restrictions on open sale of fish and meat in Bihar, BJP West Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya on Thursday asserted that people in Bengal are free to consume food of their choice and clarified that the party is only against open sale of beef.The controversy began after senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, criticized what they described as the BJP-backed move against non-vegetarian eating habits. These statements were linked to the recent order issued by the Bihar government to regulate the public sale of meat.Responding to the allegations, Bhattacharya said: “People in Bengal will eat whatever they want to eat.
Bengal will have its own fish and meat,” he said, rejecting the TMC’s claims on a proposed ban on open sales of fish and meat in the neighboring state.Clarifying the Bihar directives, he added that the BJP has not proposed any blanket restrictions. “They can never utter such a thing. Why should they? No one will accept it. The TMC is distorting the comments,” he said.Bhattacharyya also stated that there is no such ban and people in Bihar or West Bengal will not adhere to it if such a measure is introduced, news agency PTI reported.
To make a distinction, he stressed that the BJP’s position is limited to opposing the open sale of beef. “Only those things that you sell in public will not be allowed by the BJP,” he said.Earlier, Mamata Banerjee had raised concerns over the reported directive in Bihar, citing the livelihood impact on small traders. She said: “I have seen a report by the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar confirming 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 vendors on the road? What about their livelihood issue? Such a policy is deplorable.”Speaking on the issue again, Banerjee claimed, “If the BJP comes to power, they will ban meat and fish in Bengal. I saw the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar saying that fish and meat cannot be sold in open markets. Only those who have a license can sell meat indoors. So, will everyone sell meat and fish in malls? Only a few have the economic power to do so. Most of the fish vendors sell fresh fish on the streets here. This is how they earn their bread.”
“I condemn this policy.”
