The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has been inspecting restaurants across Mumbai and finding some frightening things.

Dirty kitchens. Unsafe food. Improper storage. Questionable handling.

Under the guidance of Maharashtra Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, action has been taken, establishments have been ordered to stop food operations, and licences have been suspended.

Excellent work.

After all, what enters our mouths can make us sick.

But while watching this admirable concern for what goes into our mouths, I began wondering whether another department could be formed to inspect what comes out of certain mouths.

Especially political ones.

Imagine a Mouth and Dialogue Administration arriving unexpectedly at a political rally.

“Good evening, sir. We are here for a surprise inspection.”

“Inspection of what?”

“Your mouth.”

“My mouth?”

“Yes, sir. We have received complaints about contaminated statements being served to the public.”

The politician would look offended.

“My speeches are completely hygienic.”

“Our laboratory reports show dangerous levels of hatred, inflammatory ingredients, communal colouring, artificial promises and expired facts.”

“Nonsense! I have been making these statements for years.”

“That is precisely the problem.”

The inspectors would examine the microphone, collect samples of the speech, and seal the politician’s mouth until further notice.

A notice would be pasted outside his office.

“Oral operations suspended due to serious public safety violations.”

What a wonderful country we would become.

At present, if a restaurant serves contaminated food, officials arrive quickly. Samples are taken. Kitchens are sealed. Licences are cancelled.

But when a powerful person serves contaminated words, everybody studies the menu.

Some television anchors even reheat the statement and serve it throughout the day.

“Was the hatred spicy enough?”

“Did the threat contain sufficient substance?”

“Should the insult be interpreted literally, metaphorically or electorally?”

Meanwhile, ordinary citizens may be arrested for a social media post, while those in power distribute verbal poison in family sized packets.

Surely words also require safety standards.

Every speech should carry a label.

“Warning: This statement contains prejudice, unverified claims and excessive political colouring. Continued consumption may damage national harmony.”

Judges and authorities should inspect public statements with the same seriousness with which food officers inspect kitchens.

If there are laws against hate speech, threats, incitement and defamation, then those laws must not become decorative fire extinguishers, displayed prominently but never used when the building is burning.

A poisonous meal can damage the stomach.

A poisonous speech can damage a nation.

So yes, Commissioner Mundhe, please continue protecting what goes into our mouths.

And perhaps other authorities could start examining what comes out of powerful mouths.

Because some kitchens deserve suspension.

And some mouths desperately need their licences cancelled..!

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