No beef ban in Kerala Police academy: Official
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Police Academy on Monday dismissed reports of a ban on beef on its campus and said the dish along with mutton have been excluded from the menu for new trainees based on dietitian's instructions.
Reacting to reports in a section of media that beef had been banned in the police canteen, academy Director B Sandhya, ADGP, said there was no such prohibition on the popular dish and dubbed the controversy a "media creation".
"Not only beef, but mutton is not included in the new menu issued. The menu was prepared according to the directions of the dietitians," she said.
The controversy surfaced close on the heels of the storm over a "beef fry" tweet by the Kerala Tourism on 'Makarasankranti' day last month.
"Tender chunks of beef, slow-roasted with aromatic spices, coconut pieces, and curry leaves. A recipe for the most classic dish, Beef Ularthiyathu, the stuff of legends, from the land of spices, Kerala," the tweet read along with a recipe link.
A section of Twitter users had expressed their displeasure over the timing of the tweet as it was posted on a Hindu festival.
Slamming the state, BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje had said the "Kerala communist govt have declared a war against Hindus of the state!", but the the CPI(M)-led LDF government clarified later its aim was not to hurt anyone's religious beliefs.
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Social media campaigns, flexboards won't decide who will be Kerala CM: Chennithala
New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, a CM hopeful, on Wednesday said that social media campaigns and putting up of flexboards wiill not be the deciding factors for selecting the chief minister of Kerala.
Chennithala made the remark in response to reporters queries in Delhi on the intense social media campaign in favour of V D Satheesan as CM on the ground that he led the UDF poll campaign from the front.
"Who should be CM is not decided based on social media campaigns or the flexboards put up by the supporters. It is decided by the high command in accordance with the procedure already in place.
"As part of that two party observers will reach Kerala by evening and they will speak to all the MLAs. After that, the party high command will take a decision," the senior Congress leader said.
He said that the high command will take the decision based on party interests and everyone will accept it.
Chennithala also rejected queries about whether the alleged contest within the party for the CM post will create any displeasure among the voters.
"There will be no displeasure among voters as there is no contest," he contended.
On whether there was a delay in announcing the CM for Kerala, Chennithala said that the chief minister has not been selected in the other state where polls were held.
"So, can it be said that there is a delay in the case of Kerala?" he asked.
He said that he was in Delhi for a meeting with Rahul Gandhi regarding finalisation of the DCC presidents in Maharashtra.
