UP CM Yogi Adityanath questions silence of ‘secular groups’ over calf slaughter in Kerala

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath questioned the Opposition’s silence on butchering of a calf in public in Kerala to protest against the government's move to ban sale of cows for slaughter. "Many organisations, in name of secularism, demand respect for each other's sentiments. I don't understand why are they mum on Kerala incident," Adityanath, while addressing a public gathering in Lucknow, said. An 18-month-old calf was butchered in an open vehicle allegedly by Youth Congress workers who raised slogans against the Centre's decision to ban sale of cattle for slaughter. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had condemned the incident. Terming the incident as "thoughtless and barbaric", he said that it was "unacceptable" to him and his party. "What happened in Kerala yesterday is thoughtless, barbaric and completely unacceptable to me and the Congress Party. I strongly condemn the incident," he tweeted. Beef festivals were held across Kerala on Saturday to protest against the Union government’s ban on the sale of all kinds of cattle for slaughter at animal markets across the country. The protest feasting was conducted despite Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s assurance that he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the matter. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also shot off a letter to the Prime Minister to protest the Centre's decision of banning sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter, saying the move amounted to an "intrusion" into the rights of the states. "Absence of efforts to take the states into confidence on such a drastic move, with far reaching consequences, is detrimental to our democracy," Vijayan said. "I am afraid it amounts to an intrusion into the rights of the state in our federal structure," he added. He said meat was the primary source of protein for millions of the poor and ordinary people in the country, particularly Dalits. Vijayan said in Kerala and in other South Indian and North Eastern states vast majority of people consume meat and sought repeal of the ban. Protesting the ban, activists of the ruling CPI(M) -led LDF, opposition UDF spearheaded by Congress and their youth wings took out marches and organised beef fests across the state, where beef is widely consumed. The Centre has banned the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter, a move that is expected to hit export and trade of meat and leather. Demonstrations were held outside the secretariat in Thiruvanathapuram where the protesters cooked and distributed beef on the road side.