Keralites hold beef eating fest to protest ban

In a novel protest against the beef ban in Maharashtra, hindus and muslims gathered for a beef eating fest in Kerala. The protest was organised by DYFI, the state CPM's youth wing, at Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala consumes an estimated 2.3 lakh metric tonnes of beef every year. 

Ajith P, one of those present at the protest was quoted in NDTV as saying, "I am a Hindu. I should be given the freedom to eat whatever I want, even when I am eating this." 

Presidential assent was accorded to the Maharashtra Animal Prevention (Amendment Bill), 1995 on March 2, which bans the slaughter of bulls and bullocks, but will allow the slaughter of water buffaloes, considered to yield an inferior quality of beef. 

Traders associations have accused the BJP-led state government, of "snatching" their livelihood for the sake of "vote bank politics". Maharashtra's contribution to the country's buffalo meat market is about 25 per cent, with more than 1,000 animals being slaughtered daily in Pune district. Each animal provides an average 200 kgs of meat.