Why are secular groups silent on beef fests, says Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow: UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has questioned the silence of “secular groups” over the Kerala beef festivals in protest against the Centre’s decision banning the sale of cattle for slaughter from open markets..

“I feel there is a lot of talk in the country to respect each other’s feelings and several organisations demand this in the name of secularism. But why are they silent on the Kerala incident?” he asked at function organised by the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

The chief minister said that people who staged protests over incidents in the JNU are now silent on this issue.

During the beef fests held in Kerala to protest against the Centre’s ban, Youth Congress worker Rijil Makulti and his accomplices had reportedly slaughtered a calf in full public view in Kannur and later took out a march with the head of a buffalo.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi condemned the incident and suspended the party workers from the party.

Mr Adityanath, soon after coming to power, had ordered strict compliance of the ban on cow slaughter in the state and also directed the closing down of illegal slaughter houses being run in the state.

He had categorically stated that his government will not allow cow slaughter and cow-smuggling at any cost.

Kerala BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan posted the video of the gory incident on twitter, calling it “cruelty at it peak” and said no normal person can behave in this manner.