BJP picks up beef with Siddaramaiah over non-veg food

BJP's B Y Vijayendra said individual food habits cannot override culture and tradition

The BJP on Monday launched an attack on Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah in a bid to project him as "anti-Hindu" for asserting his right to eat meat before visiting temples.

Congress leaders hit back by accusing the BJP of raking up "trivial issues".

"By asking what's wrong in consuming meat in the afternoon and visiting a temple the same evening, Siddaramaiah has once again displayed carelessness towards Hindu beliefs," BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel said in a tweet. "Those who don't understand Hindus' sentiments towards temples will be taught a lesson by people. Why do drama by visiting temples and mutts when an election is near?" he said.

The tweet was in response to reports that Siddaramaiah visited a temple in Kodagu after consuming meat. In 2017, Siddaramaiah as chief minister was targeted by the BJP for eating meat before visiting the Dharmasthala temple.

Mysore-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha pointed out that Siddaramaiah consumed meat before offering floral tributes to Goddess Chamundeshwari, the reigning deity of Mysuru. "He did this in 2017, I'm a witness. Thereafter, he lost power," Simha said, as the Congress leader as 'Siddu Sultan'.

On Sunday, Siddaramaiah asked if God had prescribed a specific diet for devotees before visiting temples. "Nee yaaru kelakke (who are you to ask)?", Siddaramaiah asked a reporter. "I'm a non-vegetarian. So, I meat. If you are a vegetarian, you'll not. Your habit is yours. My habit is mine," he said.

BJP vice-president B Y Vijayendra said individual food habits cannot override culture and tradition. "People here respect and follow certain religious practices. Those in big positions should not behave or make statements that hurt sentiments of people," he said.

During the day, 'Nee Yaaru Kelakke' was turned into a campaign by some groups to express their reservation against the trend of imposing food habits on others.

Defending Siddaramaiah, former Congress MLC Veena Achaiah said the former chief minister did not eat meat the day he visited a temple in Kodagu. "There was chicken curry, but Siddaramaiah ate Coorg's special bamboo shoot curry and akki rotti," she said.

Varuna MLA Yathindra, Siddaramaiah's son, accused the BJP of creating unnecessary issues while KPCC working president R Dhruvanarayana said the saffron party was trying to "cover up its failures" with trivial issues.

KPCC president D K Shivakumar, however, declined to comment.