No pork and beef: Only 'halal' meat for Indian cricketers
Kanpur, Nov 23: A row involving the BCCI erupted on Tuesday after it emerged that only 'halal' meat has been recommended for the Indian cricketers during their stay in Kanpur for the series-opening Test against New Zealand.
The catering and menu document, in possession of PTI, also mentions categorically that no pork or beef should be part of any food in any form or variety.
BJP spokesperson and advocate Gaurav Goel demanded immediate withdrawal of the recommendation.
"The players can eat whatever they want but who has given BCCI the right to introduce 'halal' meat. This is illegal and we will not allow it," Goel said in a video posted from his twitter handle.
"This decision is not right. It should be withdrawn immediately."
None of the BCCI officials, contacted by the PTI, was ready to speak about the document, which is believed to be prepared by the support staff and medical team keeping the dietary requirements in mind.
Usually Hindus and Sikhs prefer 'jhatka' meat while Muslims largely prefer 'halaal'.
In the Halal form of slaughter, animals are killed with a cut to the jugular vein and are left till the blood drains out completely. In the jhatka method, the animal is killed instantaneously.
A former India cricketer said exclusion of beef and pork items is not surprising though it was never documented before.
"During my time in the team, I have never seen any beef or pork items being served on match days in the dressing room. At least, never in India. So I don't think apart from putting pen to paper, anything new has been done," the cricketer told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"Before anyone tries to read between the lines, beef, with its excessive fat content just like goat meat isn't advisable for cricketers.
"We were always advised to have lean protein which is generally grilled chicken and fish," he said.
In the menu, there are two kinds of meat items listed -- chicken and lamb. The non-vegetarian items listed include roasted chicken, roasted lamb, lamb chops in black pepper sauce, murg yakhni, chicken thai curry, marinated grilled chicken, Goan fish curry, tangri kebabs and stir fried vegetables with chicken in garlic sauce.
The series-opener is slated to begin in Kanpur from Thursday while the second Test will be played in Mumbai from December 3.
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24,000 quintals of worm-infested jowar worth Rs 6 crore found in Ballari
Ballari: A shocking discovery has come to light in Ballari, where nearly 24,000 quintals of jowar, valued at Rs 6 crore, were reportedly found infested with worms in a godown managed by the Karnataka State Warehousing Corporation (KSWC).
The contaminated grain was distributed to fair price shops in and around the district, as reported by The New Indian Express on Saturday.
The issue was exposed when Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa visited the KSWC's Unit-2 godown. During the inspection, he found that 48,000 bags of jowar, each weighing 50 kg, had become unsuitable for consumption due to worm infestation.
When Justice Veerappa, deputy registrar Aravind NV and others questioned about the condition of the grain, Sharavathi, the manager of the Ballari unit of KSWC, and Sakina, the deputy director of Food and Civil Supplies, explained that they obtained a certificate from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) on March 29, 2024, that “jowar is fit” for consumption, TNIE added. The grain had subsequently been sent to Haveri and other districts for distribution through fair price shops.
However, Justice Veerappa pointed out that the jowar was not even fit for animals to consume. Expressing his displeasure, he stated that negligence by officials had resulted in the wastage of 48,000 bags of jowar.
Meanwhile, Sharavathi reportedly questioned Justice Veerappa's visit to the godown, asking him to provide photographic evidence linked to GPS for confirmation. This demand left him enraged, as he remarked, "This shows they have reached a stage of even questioning us."
Justice Veerappa called the situation "unfortunate" and urged the concerned minister to take immediate action against the officials involved. He emphasised that taxpayers' money had been used to procure the jowar, and its wastage was unacceptable. "We will definitely take action under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act," he vowed.
