New Delhi: The 'beef festival' scheduled to be held at the Osmania University on December 10 has finally been called off. A university spokesperson said the varsity was a 'seat of learning' and that there was 'nothing academic' in the proposed event.
"Primary objective of the university is purely academic and research oriented. It is therefore informed to all the concerned including the teachers, students and staff that activities such as beef festival, go-puja which are unrelated to academics and research will not be permitted on the campus," a release from the Public Relations Officer of Osmania University said.
The organisers of the beef 'festival' had said that it was being planned as a means to "save democratic principles" in the wake of alleged attempts to curb dietary habits of certain groups. The event was to coincide with the International Human Rights Day observed on December 10.
There has been a strong political undertone to the entire event. Shankar (full name), one of the organisers of the 'festival', had claimed to be a member of All India Students Federation affiliated to Communist Party of India.
Raja Singh, a BJP MLA from Goshamahal area, on the other hand, said that the cow being a sacred animal for crores of people in the country, an event to worship the cow should also be allowed to be held in the campus if the ‘beef festival' was given a go-ahead by university officials.
Singh claimed that a memorandum in this regard had also been submitted to the university Vice-Chancellor.
However a showdown appears to be on cards today with the defiant students' group deciding to go ahead with its plan to conduct a ‘Beef Festival' on December 10 in Osmania University campus here despite university authorities' refusal of permission and a BJP MLA vowing to stop it.
Another group of students had announced plans to organise a ‘Pork festival' in the university campus on December 10. “In fact, we did not apply for permission. Permission is not required for what we eat in our college and our hostel. We will definitely go ahead with the event,” Shankar, an organiser of the ‘Beef Festival', said.
“101 per cent, we will stop it, if they go ahead with the Beef Festival even after the government saying so (denying permission),” Raja Singh said.
He had earlier said a ‘Gau puja' should also be allowed on December 10 if the ‘Beef Festival' is permitted. Raja Singh had also hit out at Telangana BJP President G Kishan Reddy for “not speaking in favour of stopping the “Beef Festival” and demanded his resignation, saying his action amounted to “stunting the growth of BJP in Telangana”.
They said they have also complained to the State Human Rights Commission against Raja Singh for his “provocative comments”.
Pork has been a nutritious food choice and “pig-rearing provided livelihood to certain communities” in the country, said Solanki Srinivas, a leader of the students' group in the varsity planning to hold ‘Pork Festival'.
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