India: Violence breaks out at Indian beef-eating festival

Since Independence thousands of riots have occurred because of cow slaughtered as a result thousands of lives have been wasted. They must not do this kind of provocative things.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | EU Desk
Source/Credit: BBC News | Free Republic
By BBC News | April 16. 2012

Dalits students argue they should have freedom to eat what they want A beef-eating festival at a university in the Indian city of Hyderabad has led to clashes between rival sets of Hindu students, police say.

They say that Hindus who regard cows as sacred fought with low caste Dalit groups who organised the event.

About 1,500 people were fed beef biriyani as part of the festival late on Sunday evening.

Dalit groups want beef on the campus hostel menu. Right wing Hindu groups say eating beef is not Hindu practice.

Last year's event at Osmania University also ended in violence.

The BBC's Omer Farooq in the city says that says there has been tension for a few days now on the campus.

Our correspondent says that has been the case ever since organisers announced that the festival - held over the weekend - would go ahead. Right wing Hindu groups soon afterwards declared their intention to stop it.

The clashes that were feared erupted on Sunday evening and carried on late into the early hours of Monday morning, reports say.

Batons and teargas Police say that the violence began when about 100 members of the right wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) marched towards the festival ground and were stopped by police.

The protesters then set two vehicles on fire and threw stones at police, who used batons and teargas to beat back the crowd.

Senior police officer Amit Garg said the situation is now under control.

Protesting students say that Hinduism is being besmirched by beef eaters

Dalit groups want beef included in food served at the campus hostel. Festival organiser B Sudarshan told the BBC that they were involved in a fight for the "freedom to eat".

Read original post here:  Commentary: Violence breaks out at Indian beef-eating festival


This content-post is archived for backup and to keep archived records of any news Islam Ahmadiyya. The views expressed by the author and source of this news archive do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Ahmadiyya Times.