'Beef festival' planned at OU; BJP MLA fumes

Hyderabad: A plan by some students to organise a 'beef festival' on the Osmania University campus here next week has kicked up a row with a BJP MLA demanding that if this event is permitted, another one to worship the cow should also be allowed.

The festival is being planned on December 10, coinciding with International Human Rights Day, as a means to save democratic principles in the wake of alleged attempts to curb dietary habits of certain groups, Shankar, one of the organisers of the proposed event, said here on tuesday.

The university has a history of reflecting on anti- democratic and hegemonistic incidents in the world, said Shankar, who claimed to be a member of the All India Students Federation (AISF), affiliated to Communist Party of India. Leaders of different political parties are being invited for the festival, which he said, is not intended to target anybody.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA from Goshamahal here Raja Singh vowed to stop the festival, saying cow is a sacred animal for crores of people in the country. Some other outfits are opposing the event. A memorandum has been submitted to the university Vice -Chancellor, arguing that if beef festival is permitted, an event to worship the cow should also be allowed to be held in the campus, Singh said.

There is a political conspiracy behind the proposed event, he alleged. Saying that Telangana BJP President G Kishan Reddy spoke in favour of not stopping the beef festival, Singh hit out at his party leader. Reddy should step down from his post, he added.

Taking exception to Singh's comments on Reddy, BJP spokesperson Krishna Sagar Rao said the party's disciplinary committee would look into the issue. MLA Raja Singh statements are purely individualistic and do not represent the party's view. BJP is a disciplined party and leaders don't make irresponsible statements against their president in public. Party's disciplinary committee will look into this issue, he said.

PTI