New Delhi: The popular ‘carabeef' (buffalo meat) dish will return at the Kerala House on Wednesday after being taken off the menu following a complaint by a group opposed to beef consumption and a subsequent visit by the Delhi Police.
Around 20 Delhi Police officials triggered uproar on Monday by visiting the Kerala House premises after the Hindu Sena's complaint.
The police action led to allegations of “intolerance” and an attack on the federal structure by chief ministers of Kerala, Delhi and West Bengal, besides Left leaders.
Officials from Kerala House confirmed on Tuesday they had got orders from Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy to bring back the ‘carabeef'.
Sudheesh Kumar of Kerala House said: “We are going to bring back carabeef on the menu. We have the approval of Gyanesh Kumar, the resident commissioner of the Kerala government.” He said the facility serves Kerala cuisine which includes buffalo meat.
Read: Act against Delhi cops, Chandy urges PM; Bassi says no ‘beef' raid
Chief minister Chandy earlier asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to instruct home minister Rajnath Singh to take action against the police officers who “raided” the Kerala House.
Delhi Police commissioner BS Bassi, meanwhile, said his men did not “raid” Kerala House and broke no law. He said the police only wanted to prevent possible trouble after they got a complaint that beef was served in the canteen of Kerala House, located in the heart of the capital.
Earlier, speaking in Kozhikode, Chandy said the police “raid” was “unwarranted and unfortunate”. “The police action is not acceptable. Delhi Police was wrong in what they did.
“Kerala House is not a private hotel. It is the official building of the Kerala government.”
Kerala home minister Ramesh Chennithala said he would meet Delhi's Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung with a complaint against Delhi Police, which reports to Jung and to the central home ministry.
Among the first to attack the Delhi Police was Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who said Chandy was right in saying that Kerala House was not a private hotel.
“Delhi Police had no business to enter Kerala House. It is an attack on (the federal) structure. Delhi Police is acting like a BJP Sena,” the Aam Aadmi Party leader said.
