Youth Cong activists cull cow in public for Kerala ‘beef fest’
STOKING FIRE Members call act ‘natural form of protest’, BJP labels it ‘peak of cruelty’
The “beef festival” in Left-ruled Kerala took a nasty turn in Kannur on Sunday evening when a group of Youth Congress leaders slaughtered a cow in public and distributed the cooked meat.
The police have registered a case against the activists involved under IPC Section 428 (mischief by killing or maiming animal) and Section (ii) of the PCA Act 1960.
Several youth groups of the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-headed UDF opposition have organised these festivals to protest against the Centre’s recent decision to ban sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter, a move criticised by several states.
“It is a thoughtless act and it will only help Sangh Parivar outfits. It is sad that Youth Congress activists stooped so low for publicity,” CPI(M) member of Parliament MB Rajesh said.
Beef is a staple in Kerala and the new rules have caused widespread anger.
Though Kerala is one of the few states where cow slaughter is not banned, animal lovers said “such brazen acts” glorify cruelty towards animals and demanded action against Youth Congress activists.
The BJP, which is trying to gain a toehold in the state and won its first seat in the last year’s polls, also criticised the slaughtering of the animal at a market in the heart of Kannur while the Congress asked its cadres to use restrain during protests.
BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan tweeted the video of the slaughter, saying it was the “peak of cruelty”.
Youth Congress activists defended their move, saying it was a natural form of protest. “The Centre is denying food to the people, it is the biggest cruelty,” Youth Congress leader Rejil Makutty said.
The Centre’s decision, which will hurt millions of poor farmers and squeeze supplies to the country’s ₹1 lakh-crore meat industry, is being seen as a move to push the BJP’s alleged Hindutva agenda.
Cows are considered holy by many Hindus, and have gained in importance since Prime Minister Narendra Modi stormed to power in 2014 with several BJP-ruled states enacting strict laws to punish cow slaughter.
As protest mounted in the state, CM Pinarayi Vijayan shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the Centre couldn’t draw up a menu and change the food habits of people.
“Today it is saying you can’t eat beef, tomorrow it can say no to fish also. We will not allow this to happen in our state,” the CM said, adding the decision would leave many people jobless. The state government is talking to legal experts to challenge the order.
Many of the ruling CPI (M) leaders come from Kannur, where the Left party is involved in a bloody turf war with the RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP.
In Kerala at least 500,000 people are involved in cattle trade, slaughterhouses and allied areas. According to the state animal husbandry department data, 117,000 adult cattle and 70,000 young cattle were slaughtered in Kerala in 2016 where beef accounts for 60% of the total meat consumed.
State meat traders fear the new notification will embolden Hindu fringe outfits and hit supply leading to a shortage of meat.