New Delhi: The Pushkar Singh Dhami-led Uttarakhand government has issued a series of instructions to the police, including setting up CCTVs inside the kitchens of hotels, dhabas and eateries, to stop incidents of people allegedly spitting into food and beverages.
This come days after CM Dhami spoke at length on religious conversion, encroachment, “land jihad”, and “thook (spit) jihad”, while stressing that such activities will not be allowed in the “devbhoomi” (holy land) of Uttarakhand. Dhami made these remarks at a felicitation ceremony in the city of Kichha, Udham Singh Nagar district.
Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) Abhinav Kumar Tuesday sent letters to the senior superintendent of police as well as all districts and railways in the state. The government advisory said strict action would be taken against those found violating the norms.
“It is known that at present some incidents related to spitting in drinks and food items at commercial establishments like hotels, dhabas etc. are going viral on social media,” the advisory said. “Such incidents are directly related to the health and food department, but as a result of these incidents, when some social organisations protest, police action also becomes necessary in view of law and order.”
It further said that a case in this regard had been registered in the Mussoorie police station of Dehradun district and legal action had been taken against the accused.
The Dehradun Police had, on 9 October, arrested two men for allegedly spitting in a saucepan before selling tea to customers in Mussoorie. Responding to the incident, in a post on X, CM Dhami had said, “There is no place in the holy land of Uttarakhand for those who commit misdeeds like spitting in any drink or food item.”
“Keeping in mind the health of the people of the state and public sentiments, instructions have been given that if anyone is found doing such a misdeed, strict action will be taken against them,” he added.
Dhami statement on “thook jihad” was welcomed by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), the country’s largest group of Hindu seers, with its president, Ravindra Puri Maharaj, calling for strict action against offenders during the Hindu pilgrimages Char Dham Yatra and Kumbh Mela.
The move comes even as the UP cabinet discussed two laws against food contamination Tuesday that would penalise spitting in food. Last week, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused “some groups” of such “contamination”, promising to bring a law against it.
Cornering Dhami, the Opposition alleged that the incidents of spitting were a reflection of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
Garima Dasauni, the spokesperson of Uttarakhand Congress, told ThePrint, “I see these incidents (spitting in drinks and food) as law and order fiasco and it is fine that strict action is being taken and precautionary measures are being taken but I would request the government and police department that there are more pressing issues going on in the state such as rape cases.”
“So we can’t be stuck with ‘thook jihad only’. Why are these incidents of rapes and overall lawlessness not part of his public speeches? Only coining the word jihad will not lessen the crime rate in the state,” she added.
‘Verification of workers’
The Uttarakhand advisory also listed out further rules, including “100 percent verification of people working in commercial establishments like hotels/dhabas etc”.
“Managers should be encouraged to install CCTV cameras in kitchens located in such business establishments,” the advisory said. “The help of local intelligence units should also be taken to prevent such incidents in open spaces like kiosks/redis etc. Special attention should be paid to this during patrolling. As required after contacting the Health and Food Department, random checking should be carried out at hotels, dhabas and commercial establishments.”
The advisory further said that if any “illegal activities are found”, it would invoke sections 274 (adulteration of food or drink) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and 8 (arrest without a warrant) of the Uttarakhand Police Act.
“If the act in question has adverse effect on religious, racial, linguistic etc. grounds, action may be taken under relevant sections 196 (1) (b) or 299 of the BNS as per rules,” it further said.
Apart from this, it said, a public awareness campaign would be run in coordination with the health and food departments, municipal corporation/district panchayats, municipal councils and locals.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
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