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Officials acquainted with the matter said that during a preparatory meeting, some people had flagged the sale of non-vegetarian food items in major urban areas at a time when students participate in patriotic march-pasts. (Representational image generated by ChatGPT)
An order by a district collector in Odisha prohibiting the sale of non-vegetarian items on Republic Day has triggered a row, with people terming it “an infringement” of personal liberty.
On Friday, Koraput District Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan issued an order directing tehsildars, block development officers (BDOs) and executive officers of civic bodies in the district to issue official notifications in their jurisdictions.
“You are hereby requested to issue an official notification in your jurisdiction prohibiting sale of Meat, Chicken, Fish, egg, etc and other non-vegetarian items on 26th January 2026 for the occasion of 77th Republic Day Celebration in Koraput District,” read the order.
It could be the first instance of such a restriction in Odisha, with people questioning the rationale behind the move. Mahajan did not respond to calls and messages seeking clarification.
Officials acquainted with the matter said that during a preparatory meeting, some people had flagged the sale of non-vegetarian food items in major urban areas at a time when students participate in patriotic march-pasts.
“The district collector might have taken it seriously and issued such a ridiculous order,” said an official.
Citing that Koraput is a predominantly tribal region, with Scheduled Tribes comprising over 50% of the district’s population, citizens have demanded the immediate withdrawal of the order.
Sujit Bisoyi is a Special Correspondent with the Indian Express and covers Odisha. His interests are in politics, policy and people’s stories. He tweets at @bisoyisujit87 ... Read More
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