“The raid conducted without the permission of state officials at the state-run official guest house crossed all limits of propriety, violated law and also affected centre-state relations”, Kerala CM Oommen Chandy told reporters after the meeting in Thiruvananthapuram.
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The latest instance, that of the Delhi police barging into the national capital’s Kerala House at the behest of the so-called Hindu Sena, takes the cake.
Hindu Sena leader Vishnu Gupta, whose complaint about beef being served in New Delhi’s Kerala House canteen leading to a massive controversy, has been sent to four days of judicial custody.
Delhi police commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi had later said that they were contemplating action under Section 182 of IPC against Gupta for the “false complaint”.
“But it doesn’t allow beef raids by the police, who lack the expertise to decide what kind of animal a piece of meat came from”, he said. “There is no truth in allegations that cow meat is served here”, said Sudeesh, a member of the Staff Canteen Managing Committee.
“The Delhi Police Commissioner who misguided the nation and media has no business to continue in his post, either he should resign or he should be sacked”, he said.
The Kerala chief minister also sought an apology from the police, failing which he threatened to take legal action.
Security at Kerala Bhawan was beefed up on Thursday.
Being devoured with a vengeance after the police “raided” the canteen earlier this week over suspicion of cow meat being served, buffalo meat dishes fell short of demand even though additional stock was brought in. “Kerala will take legal action if the reply from the Centre also corroborates the stand taken by the Delhi police on the matter”, the chief minister said. “The official will prepare his report after recording statements of staff working at the Kerala House”, a Delhi government official said. Interestingly, an English menu board placed at the counter of the restaurant announced that Meat Fry and Meat Curry, with Buffalo mentioned in brackets, was available yesterday.
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The state views the act of Delhi Police, who raided the state-run visitor home on October 26, “as considered one of complete disregard of niceties and refinement by the police which is managed by the Centre in a constitutionally federal construction”, he stated. Chandy had on October 27 shot off a letter to Modi terming the episode “highly objectionable”.
