Consumption of beef at seminar held at govt hall triggers row

The consumption of beef by the organisers of a seminar at Maneyangala hall in Kalamandira here on Sunday has attracted official action as well as condemnation from pro-Hindu organisations.

While the district administration has blacklisted Charvaka Social and Cultural Trust for serving beef to the chief guests at the seminar, Deputy Commissioner D Randeep has slapped a notice on Kannada and Culture department assistant director H Chennappa.

“We have blacklisted the Trust and also confiscated the deposit amount paid by it. The district administration will take necessary measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur,” Randeep said.

Chennappa said the organisers have violated the rules. “We permitted them only to organise a seminar for three days. The organisers did not inform us about the consumption of beef,” he said.

A seminar on ‘Food Habits and Freedom of Expression’ had been organised from Friday to Sunday by Charvaka Social and Cultural Trust, in association with the Kannada and Culture department and AVSN organisation, at the department-managed Maneyangala hall. On Sunday, the seminar was inaugurated by consuming  beef, to protest against the Central government’s recent ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter.

Writer K S Bhagwan, Prof B P Mahesh Chandra Guru, Hindulida Vargagala Jagruti Vedike president K S Shivaram and others consumed beef on the stage. Corporator Purushottam, Praja Trust president Sosale Siddaraju and seer Jnanaprakash Swami of Urilinga Peddi mutt were present.

Defending their action of consuming beef, Bhagawan said a few people had consumed meat at the Vidhana Soudha some time ago, but none questioned it. “The Constitution has not said that consumption of beef is illegal. We have not violated any law. Scores of people are opposing us due to lack of proper knowledge. We are ready to face a legal battle. All meat, such as that of cow, goat, chicken are the same. We had organised the event to eradicate superstitions,” he said.

‘Cleansing ritual’

Meanwhile, members of the BJP and various Hindu organisations performed a cleansing ritual with cow urine on the Kalamandira premises. They demanded immediate arrest of Bhagwan and dismissal of Chennappa. They said Kalamandira has its own sanctity, but the so-called intellectuals have profaned the place by consuming beef. The BJP members suspect the state government’s involvement behind the act.

Mysore-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha said, “Let them (Bhagwan and Mahesh Chandra Guru) consume dog meat at their house. But, they have misused and defamed a government institution by consuming beef there. The state government should register a criminal case against them. Governor Vajubhai Vala should dismiss Mahesh Chandra Guru, who is a professor at the University of Mysore”.