beef Arunachal

Itanagar, July 16: By July 18, all lodging establishments and eateries within a subdivision in Arunachal Pradesh are required to take the term “beef” off of their signboards.

Failure to abide by the directive given by the executive magistrate of the Naharlagun subdivision on July 13 would result in a 2,000 fine and the revocation of one’s business licence.

The distance between Itanagar, the state capital of a region where beef consumption is legal, and Naharlagun is roughly 13 kilometres.

According to Executive Magistrate Tamo Dada, the order was issued under Section 144 of the CrPC in response to a verbal complaint that signs that read “beef” offended Hindus and other minorities that don’t eat red meat.

The “objectionable” word will be removed or painted from the signboards, and a fine will be imposed, according to Dada, whose office will take action against hotels and restaurants that disobey the order after the deadline. He noted that licences for establishments that are not compliant may also be revoked.

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“The Hindus don’t consume beef as it is considered to be against their religion and they revere the cow. Moreover, hotels and restaurants in any other part of the country do openly put up such signs, though they serve beef,” he said.

The authorities, the order said, “believes in the secular spirit of our Indian Constitution but such open display of the word ‘beef’ on the signboards of such hotels and restaurants may hurt the sentiments of some sections of the community, and may create animosity between different groups”.

The local authorities made it clear that the order was not intended to forbid the purchase or eating of beef. “Hotels and restaurants can continue to serve beef but without displaying the word,” an official said.