In beef lovers' country...

“Once, a man sat down to have his rice and beef. End of story.”

Among the thousands of Internet barbs and memes, the Malayali directed at “food fascists” in the wake of the Dadri lynching. This is the one that, perhaps, came with that right mix of stinging sarcasm and cold, eerie fatalism. In Kerala, the opposition to the rise of “No Beef” activism in other parts of the country has been quite fervent. In its popular culture, the debate around beef and the religious sentiment it stokes has also been laced with acerbic humour but it’s evident that the Sangh outfits’ attempt to “take over our kitchens”, as CPM Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan put it, is no laughing matter in beef-loving Kerala.

In October, when the Delhi Police launched a “raid” in the premises of Kerala House in the national capital for allegedly serving cow meat in its canteen, the backlash in distant Kerala came with a marked sense of indignation. The language of dissent also cut across political lines. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, twice, highlighting what he called was “reprehensible” police action. Vijayan was more caustic: “Through this intervention, the Delhi Police – that comes under the Union Home Ministry – is threatening to dictate what Malayalis should eat”, he wrote on his Facebook page. The state’s BJP leadership that initially called it a law and order issue has since shifted to middle ground, reiterating that it is a non-issue in Kerala where beef constitutes about 40 per cent of the meat consumed.

In the local context, the BJP’s dilemma is palpable. Some of its activists would even admit, off the record, that a party line with a strong anti-cow slaughter agenda is political hara-kiri in Kerala. The CPM, the main Opposition party in the state, has taken on the combative right-wing activism against consumption of beef. The party looks at Kerala’s much-loved food as a motif in a constantly evolving political discourse. Anathalavattom Anandan, veteran CPM leader and member of the party’s state secretariat, feels that the furore over beef is unlikely to subside soon because voices against cow slaughter are integral to the concept of a nation as envisioned by Hindutva forces.

In Kerala, a state for long considered largely insulated from the cow slaughter debate, Anandan sees signs of an unwelcome change. “A threat has already been issued against a Meat Products of India unit in Ernakulam over the sale of beef. Similar incidents have been reported from Kasargod. The series of protests may have left the right-wing elements on the back foot but they are unlikely to lie low for long. The presence of strong Hindutva forces amidst us is a reality that we are living with,” says Anandan. Left-affiliated youth and students’ organisations held “Beef Festivals” in protest against the Dadri incident but the jury is still out on their effectiveness in driving home the importance of tolerance to diverse food choices.

Constitutional obligation

Rahul Easwar, who calls himself a right-of-centre activist, feels that with political interventions, the debate over beef would lose its steam. Taking on Left intellectuals “who see things only in black or white”, he says a balance between the right to eat the food of choice and an inclusive approach to “religious sentiments” is the way forward.
In a recent article, M G S Narayanan, historian and former chairman of India Council of Historical Research, has tried to distance religion from the beef row. Backed with references to ancient texts, he argues that Brahmin sages used to entertain guests with beef, the remarks have since snowballed into familiar Internet harangues.

“The cow was respected more for cultural and economic reasons than its relevance in the context of religion. It is a complex debate that cannot be taken forward through beef festivals in places where there is no ban on beef in the first place. Ultimately, protection of cows or animal rights is a state subject and has to be treated as one,” says Rahul who is also co-ordinator of the Kerala State Youth Commission.

Rahul points at hypocrisy in politically-driven debates that don’t factor in Article 48 of the Constitution that prohibits slaughter of cows, calves and other milch and draught cattle. Stripped of its political shades and viewed in a law and order context, the controversy over beef is a matter of simple choices, says Arjun P, a Thiruvananthapuram-based IT professional. “It is staple food for many of us. I don’t see a situation where my freedom to eat beef is going to be questioned here in Kerala. But it is also important for all of us to look at the bigger picture and resist any attempt by people who act above the law to impose their beliefs on others,” said Arjun. For him, at least, the debate does not appear complex after all.