Naharlagun sub-division administration in Arunachal Pradesh has ordered restaurants and hotels in the area to remove the word ‘beef’ from their signboards citing ‘religious grounds’.
In an order on July 13, extra assistant commissioner (EAC) Naharlagun Tamo Dada asked all restaurants and hotels operating in the sub-division to remove the word ‘beef’ from all signboards and banner by July 18.
“District administration of ICR (Itanagar Capital Region) believes in the secular spirit of our Indian constitution but such open display of 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 of community,” the order said.
“So as to maintain peace in the community and to continue the spirit of secularism and brotherhood within the community, hereby direct such hotels and restaurants to remove such word by July 18,” it added.
The order further said that failing to comply with the same will result in a fine of Rs 2,000 and cancelation of trading licence.
Clarifying the now viral order, extra assistant commissioner of Naharlagun on July 14 said the order was issued by his office as a “preventive measure so that the people do not make a religious issue out of it in the future”.
Meanwhile, reacting to the decree, Arunachal Christian Forum president Toko Teki termed the order “unnecessary”.
Earlier, the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) had put up a controversial signboard on the Bank Tinali underpass, describing Itanagar as the “Hindi capital of the Northeast”. The IMC was forced to replace the signboard after it was widely trolled on social media.
