The beef pot is still boiling in Kerala—the biggest consumer of beef in the state.
A day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath questioned the silence of secular parties over Kerala's beef festivals in protest against the Centre's decision banning the sale of cattle for slaughter from open markets, the Kerala unit of Congress party expelled four youth Congress activists for publicly slashing the head of a calf in Kannur district as part of protest. On the same day, butchers in the district formed an association with the support of the CPI(M).
The suspension of four youth congress leaders has come on the heels of public admonishment by Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi. The Congress scion had condemned the incident as "barbaric and completely unacceptable''. The BJP, too, had made a hue and cry about the issue saying that it smacked a communal mindset.
"This is unacceptable. Either Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi will have to make it clear and have to take action against such protests. If they don't take action, it could be believed that the youth Congress leaders have done this under the instruction of Soniaji or Rahulji. Their way of protest is totally condemnable and is a smack on a communal mindset," Kohli had said.
Meanwhile, an association of meat merchants has been formed in Kannur with the active support of CITU—the trade union wing of the CPI(M). The association, however, claims to be inclusive of all those who are associated with the meat trade. "It is true that the CPM gave us the moral support to form a union, but it belongs to all.
Everyone who is associated with meat trade can be part of the association. This is beyond politics,'' said Khader Beeran of the association. According to him, the need of the hour is to stand united against the divisive efforts of the BJP in the beef issue.
The CPM state unit's move has come after its polit buro called the BJP government's move banning the sale of cattle for slaughter, an “atrocious attempt” by the Modi government to give “legal cover for its wholly communal and divisive agenda to impose a diet code on the country”.
The party said the decision would destroy the livelihood of crores of farmers involved in animal husbandry, eliminate traditional cattle fairs, and put an unfair burden on farmers who will have to care for unproductive cattle.
“This further burdens the farmers who are increasingly resorting to distress suicides due to escalating input costs. It will also impact the leather industry and the meat export industry, affecting the livelihood of lakhs of people,” the CPM had said.
The party said the notification also encroached on the rights of the states, under whose jurisdiction the matter falls. An equally critical CPI said the “unwise decision” had been taken at the behest of the Sangh Parivar. Thalasery MLA said A.N. Shamseer said the party was solidly behind the workers associated with beef business. "Thousands of families depend on beef for their survival. The CPI(M) will be with them,'' said Shamseer.
