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Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand: India states' plans to punish spitting in food spark controversy

BBC
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Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh states plan to impose hefty fines and imprisonment for spitting in food.

The laws follow the circulation of unverified videos on social media showing vendors spitting on food.

One video showed a house help mixing urine into food she was preparing.

Opposition leaders and legal experts have questioned the efficacy of these laws.

They say they could also be misused to vilify a specific community.

Opposition leaders in two BJP -ruled states have criticised the new directives.

Manish Sayana , a food safety officer in Uttarakhand , says the government's orders are solely aimed at making food safe for consumption.

Legal expert and journalist V Venkatesan says existing laws are sufficient to take care of any offences connected to food safety.