Malyalee in Frankfurt objects to ‘ fake news’ about beef at food festival

Reacting to a report on this website stating that German Police had refused to take cognisance of protests in Frankfurt against ‘beef’ planned to be served at an Indian food festival organised by India’s Consulate General, a member of the community Rajesh Nair has written to say:

“I was there in that event from morning to evening and nothing of this sort has happened. Beef has been removed from the menu two days before the event and there was no issue during the day of event from morning to evening. No protest at the program venue and hence no police had to come. So,this entire section in your news is fake.”

This in turn had led to protests and several members of the community had criticised the Samajam for succumbing to pressure. Photographs of such protesters carrying placards saying ‘Unity in Diversity’ demonstrating outside the venue were also posted on social media and published by multiple websites.

However, a Malyalee responded to the controversy by pointing out that if the purpose of the food festival was to acquaint Germans with the flavours of India then removal of beef curry from the menu defeated the purpose. “ If the festival was meant to cater to only Indians residing there, the removal can be stretched to make some sense. But otherwise, it meant no sense at all.”

The Sangh Parivar and the BJP, which opposes the sale and consumption of beef in the rest of India, have taken contradictory stand in places like Kerala, Goa and in the North East.

BJP leaders had also pledged that there would be no beef ban in northeast states if BJP were to be elected.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu too, among others, went public with statements that they not only ate beef but saw nothing wrong in it.