New Delhi: While the assertion that no one has the right to dictate the eating habits of the nation may be well placed but the propensity shown by political leaders across the spectrum to gain mileage out the beef issue is emerging as the bigger story.
The Dadri heat has spread to New Delhi after the Delhi Police conducted a 'raid' at the Kerala government owned Kerala House over reports of beef being served at a restaurant operating out of the premises.
While the Delhi Police has out rightly rejected that they conducted any raid and had only done their duty by responding to a PCR call on sale of beef at Kerala House.
The Police claim that officers had gone their in strength as they wanted to prevent any law and order problems as the complaint was a leader of the Hindu Sena.
The police officials were stopped by Kerala House staff from entering the premises as it belongs to Kerala government, however, they allowed the cops to talk to the manager of the restaurant – some other reports claimed that cops entered by force.
The cops were told that beef fry was indeed on the menu but it was buffalo meat and not cow meat.
As per Delhi Police commissioner BS Bassi, “Thereafter our police officers gave instructions to security staff of Kerala House to keep an eye for any mischief.”
Interestingly, as per media reports, Kerala House officials have not described the incident as a 'raid'.
However, the incident, expectedly, was taken up by politicians across party lines.
Leaders from Congress and there bitter opponent in Kerala, the Left, have joined hands to dub the incident as being part of the Sangh Parivaar agenda.
Kerala CM Oommen Chandy has now written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that Delhi Police has clearly overstepped its brief.
In Delhi, Left MPs staged a protest at the Kerala House.
The protesting members of the Parliament went on allege that the incident was an attack on the 'federal structure of India'.
“This is our canteen and buffalo meat is not banned in Delhi, who are these people to poke their nose into my kitchen,” said A Sampath, MP.
Expectedly, the AAP has joined the cause and has demanded that BS Bassi – with whom they have crossed swords in the past – sacked over the incident.
Delhi CM Kejriwal tweeted: “I agree with Kerala CM that Kerala House is a govt est & not a pvt hotel. Del police had no business to enter Kerala house. It is an attack on fed structure. Del police is acting like BJP Sena. (sic)”
