A ‘beef festival’ planned by Osmania University student here on December 10 has taken a communal hue with a BJP MLA threatening to make another Dadri like lynching in City.
BJP MLA allegedly asks to allow Gau puja on December 10 if the ‘Beef Festival’ is permitted, putting the police and administration on tenterhooks.
The beef festival in Osmania University has found support from all colleges with many student groups vowing to participate in the demonstration against food fascism.
“The festival is a way to oppose how right-wing Hindu groups are curtailing an individual’s freedom by directing what should and shouldn’t be eaten,” said Satish Kumar Nainala, a PhD student and general secretary of Telangana Students Association (TSA).
According to TOI news, Nearly 200 students of University of Hyderabad (UoH), members of Ambedkar Students Association (ASA),T ribal Students Forum (TSF), and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) are also expected to participate in the event”.
Meanwhile, another group of students had announced to organize a ‘Pork festival’ in the university campus on December 10.
Reacting to this, Siluveru Harinath, a representative of Dalit Students’ Union (DSU) at UoH said that, “The pork festival is yet another method that right-wing organizations are using to communalize what is simply a celebration of food culture.
Beef festivals are not a rare occurrence in city colleges. We have been organizing them on our campus too,” he said.
JNTU students, however, have planned to extend equal support and participation to both the festivals, with nearly 100 students expected to be in attendance
Notably Osmania University administration has made it clear that permission would be denied for the proposed beef and pork festivals announced by different groups of students on the campus to assert their right to eat whatever they want..