Textbook: Meat eaters 'commit sex crimes'

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NEW DELHI, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- An Indian publisher is drawing criticism for a school textbook that says meat eaters "easily cheat, tell lies, forget promises ... and commit sex crimes."

"New Healthway," a health and hygiene textbook published by S Chand for 11- and 12-year-olds, includes a chapter titled "Do We Need Flesh Food?" the BBC reported Friday.

"The strongest argument that meat is not essential food is the fact that the Creator of this Universe did not include meat in the original diet for Adam and Eve. He gave them fruits, nuts and vegetables," the chapter reads.

The book says "some of the characteristics" of non-vegetarians are that "they easily cheat, tell lies, forget promises, they are dishonest and tell bad words, steal, fight and turn to violence and commit sex crimes."

Janaki Rajan of the Faculty of Education at Jamia Millia University in Delhi said the claims in the textbook are "poisonous for children."

"The government has the power to take action, but they are washing their hands of it," she said.

The publisher declined to comment.