Hindu Sena chief held
Hindu Sena chief held
The beef row took a fresh twist with the Kerala government threatening legal action against the Centre over the Delhi police raid on the state guest house. Buffalo meat was back on the menu on Wednesday and apparently sold out within 45 minutes.
The police, which had detained Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta, put him under “preventive arrest” for allegedly making a false complaint that beef (cow meat) was being served at the canteen.
A day after the national outrage over the raid, the Kerala government maintained that the Delhi police’s action has affected Centre-state relations. The Kerala Cabinet discussed the issue and decided to take legal action if the Centre stuck to the explanation given by the Delhi police that “they only did their duty and carried out an inspection in accordance with law”, according to reports from Kerala.
“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 the media in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Delhi police’s version of the raid was “not at all acceptable to the state and we are waiting for the reply to the letter sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh on the issue. 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.
Maintaining that cow meat was not served at Kerala House, the CM said “buffalo meat, which is not banned, will be served from today itself at Kerala House, no matter who opposes it”. Mr Chandy claimed the raid was a “deliberate attempt to please somebody”. Lashing out at the Delhi police, he said the “police came to Kerala House even without verifying the credentials of the complainant”. He then said, “Kerala is ready to take a moderate view if the mistake is admitted.”
Meanwhile, food made of buffalo meat was sold out at Samridhi Restaurant, run by the staff of Kerala House, within “45 minutes”. The canteen served buffalo meat fry and curry.
On Wednesday the Aam Aadmi Party again demanded the sacking of Delhi police commissioner B.S. Bassi for allegedly “misguiding” the nation on the Kerala House issue and justifying “criminal trespass” of its premises on rumours of beef being served there.
As for the Hindu Sena chief, deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi district) Jatin Narwal said: “Gupta has been arrested under Sections 107/151, CrPC, in the evening. He was taken to RML Hospital for a medical examination before his arrest, as per protocol.”
