Kebab lovers make no bones in slamming ‘food politics’
LUCKNOW: Will the closure of illegal slaughterhouses affect the world-famous Tunday Kababi?
This is the only question that concerns the foodies here. They believe politics should be kept away from food. A few others claim that the government’s move may lead to a hike in the prices of meat. Closure of illegal slaughterhouses was the main table-talk at Tunday Kababi, arguably the city’s most famous purveyor of ‘galauti kebabs, a day after two slaughterhouses were closed in Allahabad.
“It seems to be a tough time for non-vegetarians. Why mix politics with food? It should be handled separately,” said Riyaz Ahmed, a foodie, who was out on lunch with friends at Tunday Kababi in Old Nazirabad.
Ahmed, a businessman, said: “It is an overdose of politics now. There is politics in caste, religion, development, crime, and now on food. We cannot take it anymore,” he added.
Others sitting close to him supported his views. “Politics cannot compel one to change one’s food habits. It is purely impossible. If not beef then mutton, but living without meat is next to impossible, especially for the foodies in the state capital,” said Mohammed Miraaz Siddiqui.
He, however, agreed that banning cow slaughter was a good move.
Prashant Sharma, another foodie, said the drive was fine but at the same time the government should provide alternate livelihood for butchers and ensure that meat prices did not go up.
Mohamed Usman, whose grandfather established Tunday Kababi in 1905 and is the owner, said the closure of slaughterhouses might affect the most preferred beef kebabs.
“These kebabs are the cheapest and are largely preferred by those who cannot afford mutton kebabs,” he said.
“On regular days, around 80kg of meat, including mutton and beef, is consumed at the Old Nazirabad outlet,” said Usman.
He buys meat from local traders who may also face the axe in the state capital as the municipal corporation is planning to launch a drive next week.
People said they did not know where the scenario would lead to but it would certainly “kill” a famous saying: “If you want to have ‘samosas’, it is better to have kebabs”. Samosas are the cheapest snack in Lucknow and kebabs are equally cheaper.