Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of the Supreme Court criticized the arrest of individuals for eating chicken biryani while breaking their fast on Saturday, stating that there was “no law prohibiting consumption of chicken over the Ganga river.” “Eating chicken biryani is definitely not illegal. They were detained for that very reason and had to spend three months behind bars, so it can’t be an offense,” he stated.
Speaking at Justice GP Singh’s 4th Memorial Lecture at the National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal, Justice Bhuyan noted that the young person was imprisoned for three months for a non-offense.
“Eating chicken biryani is definitely not illegal. They were detained for that very reason and had to spend three months behind bars, so it can’t be an offense,” he stated.
In March, 14 Muslim youths were detained by the Varanasi Police under sections 298 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for breaking the Water Pollution Control Act, inciting hatred, and outraging religious sentiments. According to the complainants, the young people were eating chicken biryani and throwing leftovers and meat bones into the holy river, which has great spiritual significance in Sanatan Dharma.
According to Justice Bhuyan, the case represented a larger national tendency of criminalizing lawful behavior and reducing room for dissent. “To suggest that there is less public space in India for the expression of different viewpoints would not be an exaggeration. Citizens’ fundamental liberties include the ability to peacefully protest and to voice their opinions. Dissent and discussion are fundamental to democracy. Sadly, even official acts are illegal,” he stated.
Citing a Bombay High Court ruling that denied permission for a demonstration in support of Gaza, the Supreme Court justice also criticized judicial attitudes toward nonviolent protests. He stated that the court must uphold constitutional liberties and be receptive to criticism, and that the real test of the institution’s legitimacy was public trust rather than self-gratification.
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